Back to the Past
by Fireflycross
Summary: Kagome has left the past, forever, because of Inuyasha's betrayal with the Shikon no Tama. Thirty years later Kagome's daughter, Saphira, enters the well. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru are now the companions they were always meant to be. SessxOC Please Review
1. Into the Past

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own its characters. I do own the ideas of this story and the characters I have created for this story (i.e. Saphira). Please respect patent laws. Comments and reviews are appreciated.**

**Chapter 1: Into the Past**

She hestitated at the door.

'Was there anyway to undo what her mother had done?' She thought carefully, eying the ancient seals on the well.

"Surely, if mother went through, so can I," she said quietly to herself. She heard her mother calling her name, searching for her outside the shrine. But, her mother didn't dare to think that her precious daughter was inside the walls of the ancient shrine where the well was sealed up. Her great-grandfather had put the seals on the well nearly thrity years ago, when her mother, Kagome, had returned from the the Feudal Era for the last time. The thought of her mother calmed her into making the final decision. If her mother did it when she was only fourteen, surely she, at eighteen, could do the same.

Suddenly, an image of her father flashed in her mind. Red hair, sky blue eyes and a deep laugh. She was named for those eyes. Her own eyes were darker, like the color of the ocean.

"Saphira!" Kagome called distantly. Her father had survived for centuries, just to mate her mother. The love that bonded them was that strong. Kagome would miss her if she left, to disappear through the well of time. But, Saphira was strong, even if she was half-human, she could survive in the Feudal Era.

She reached out to touch the seals only to snatch her hand back with a growl. The purifying power of the seals had burned her claws, but her dragon blood quickly healed away the pain. With a final growl at the well she jumped in.

"Saphira!" Came Kagome's distant call.

She saw a bright light and then hit the bottom of the well with a thud.

She immediatly knew it had worked, and that she had traveled through time. She heard the birds twittering in the trees and the blue sky was visable when she looked up. She had definitely left the future, perhaps forever.

Saphira inhaled deeply, only to cough and choke from catching the unpleasant smell of a wolf youkai.

" 'Oh my loves like the melody, sweetly played in tune'...why did my woman have to go!" Howled the wolf. Saphira snickered, thinking of the wolf prince her mother had told her about.

"Wait, a minute!" Said the wolf. "I can actually smell her!"

"Haha, now you're losing your mind, Kouga," laughed another voice. "Let's go, you've mourned enough for one day."

"I guess," sighed the wolf sadly. "Thirty years today, she left me."

Saphira had forgotten that today was her mother's anniversary. 'Oh, well', she thought. 'Maybe that's why I was able to travel through..?'

She waited until the wolves scent left her nose, then she jumped out of the well with inhuman speed. Another scent caught her nose as soon as landed on the ground.

"What is this, visiting hours?" Growled Saphira. "Mom must have really been loved, too bad for me."

Saphria quickly jumped into the branches of the nearest tree just as she caught the shimmer of slivery hair.

"I don't know why you insist on visiting this place," said a bored voice. "You act like it's a grave."

"Shut up," snapped another. "Keh, like you would know what love is!"

Saphira knew that voice, without ever hearing it before in her life. Inuyasha. He was once hanyou, like her his blood had been mixed. Saphira felt no empathy toward him, not after he betrayed her mother.

"Looks like you're not the only one who loved the miko," the same bored voice commented.

Inuyasha growled when he caught sight of the flowers Kouga had left behind.

Saphira's breath caught in her throat when she caught sight of Inuyasha's companion. He could only be the one who her mother talked about with fear in her voice. Saphira had always wrinkled her nose at the scent of her mother's fear. She had been smelling it since her father died, but never before then. Only when her mother talked about the famous Sesshoumaru did her fear ever prickle Saphira's nose.

As Inuyasha laid his own flowers next to the well, he stiffened.

"What is it now, Inuyasha?" Asked the slightly annoyed Sesshoumaru. 'Did he pick up the scent, finally?'

"I can smell her," came the answer.

Sesshoumaru lifted an eyebrow. 'Surely, he isn't mistaking what is clearly the scent of a young dragon with the scent of his lost miko?'

Saphira growled inwardly at the thought of smelling like her mother, but she stayed where she was.

"No, it can't be," Inuyasha said slowly. "She's gone. It must be something else."

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes at his half-brother. "If you're done with your ritual, I would like to be on my way."

"Keh, whatever," Inuyasha said following Sesshoumaru away from Kagome's memorial.

As they left, Saphira wondered if she should followed them. The whole reason she had come to this time was to have a little adventure, wasn't it? Sure, there were a few other things she had come to do, but mostly she wanted to have fun. Life had been no fun in the future with her mother. There were no wars, or ancient evils to overcome. She had led a terrible life for a person with dragon blood flowing through her veins. She stayed cramped up in school for years, until the dragon in her blood couldn't bare it anymore. She had to get away, but no place in the future had enough adventure for her. She had traveled the world and found nothing to satisfy her dragon instincts. She had returned home to Japan, finally, after living aboard with her father for many years. After her father's death, she had become restless again, and finally plunged down the well into the past.

'Yes, I will follow them,' she thought smugly and began hopping from tree to tree to catch up.


	2. Followed

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own its characters. I do own the ideas of this story and the characters I have created for this story (i.e. Saphira). Please respect patent laws. Comments and reviews are appreciated.**

**Chapter 2: Followed**

Sesshoumaru growled inwardly as the wind blew in his direction. A familiar yet foreign scent filled his nose. He and Inuyasha were sitting under a tree by a stream.

Inuyasha felt rather then heard Sesshoumaru's growl. It was almost as if, thrity years later, Kagome's ghost had come to haunt him. He had been catching scents of her all afternoon, but that was impossible. She would never come back after what she had witnessed...

_The Shikon no Tama had been completed, a whole beautiful jewel. Kagome saw the look on Inuyasha's face. She began to panic, he had said he was going to destroy it. _

_But he had lied. Even Kagome's love couldn't stop Inuyasha from fulfilling his greatest desire..to become a full-blooded youkai._

_Before he realized what he did, he wished for it with all his heart._

_Kagome had run for her life. She ran for the well. She could already feel the youkai's power in the air. It was even stronger than that of Sesshoumaru._

_She ran blindly, she couldn't see through her tears. He had betrayed her, and she would not return to him._

_As soon as she got to the well, she paused, but only for a moment._

_"KAGOME!" Came the roar of Inuyasha's voice._

_Without a second thought she leapt into the well. _

_By the time he had reached the well, she had sealed it from the other side. He had no way of going to her..._

"Do you even smell it?" Came an annoyed voice pulling Inuyasha from his memories.

"I've been smelling it!" Snapped Inuyasha. "I don't know what it is!"

"Of course you wouldn't," chuckled Sesshoumaru. "You've never had the pleasure of smelling a dragon."

"Wasn't Father killed by a dragon?" Inuyasha asked nervously.

Sesshoumaru eyed Inuyasha's reaction. "You still act like you're part human."

"Once you've experienced something like that," Inuyasha replied calmly, "it is hard to put it behind you."

Sesshoumaru accepted this answer. It had taken his brother years to mature this far. He would try hard not to regress Inuyasha's progress.

"It is a young one," Sesschoumaru said quietly, unconsciously easing his younger brother's fears. "It has been following us since we left the well."

Inuyasha's eyes widened at this. "The smell at the well was Kagome."

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes, "Inuyasha..."

Inuyasha jumped up impatiently, "It is her! You never scented her properly! I know what that smell is!"

Sesshoumaru got up too. "Inuyasha, it is impossible. You said yourself she sealed the well. Why would she come back after thirty years?"

Saphira, who had been watching the scene from across the stream in a tree, decided it was time to show herself. She leapt down by the stream.

Sesshoumaru caught the lightening fast movement and was across the stream in an instant.

"WHO are YOU!" He growled grabbing for her throat.

Saphira grinned and flitted out of his reach. Her laughter floated down through the tree tops.

"Just like the stories, Sesshoumaru," came her soft voice.

Inuyasha stiffened, he had heard that voice before. The voice was almost the same, except this one had a different accent.

Saphira saw the effect her voice had on her mother's lover. It pleased her to upset his balanced life and to bring the memories of her mother to him.

"Kagome?" Came a whisper.

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes. "Fool, did you not see how fast she moved?"

"I'll come down, but only if I have your word that you won't try to hurt me!" Came the voice from the past. Saphira knew she had nothing to fear, but she wouldn't take chances. Her father's death had taught her that.

Inuyasha looked at his brother with pleading eyes.

"Very well," Sesshoumaru said. "My brother thinks you are a ghost from his past. The fool can't smell the dragon in your blood.."

Saphira hopped down and landed neatly in front of Inuyasha, who gasped with surprise. The girl looked nothing like Kagome, but he could see Kagome in her. Her hair was the color of fire, and her eyes were the color of the ocean. Everything in her posture screamed Kagome. Her eyes, although not the right color, were the shape of Kagome's eyes. Her mouth was soft like Kagome's mouth.

"Who are you?" The cold demand drew those jewel eyes to Sesshoumaru. Even he was chilled by the ice in her gaze.

"My name is Saphira," came the soft reply soaking with defiance and indifference.

"Saphira...?" Breathed Inuyasha in a way glad not to be facing Kagome's ghost.

"Yes, Saphira," came her voice. "I believe you knew my mother...?"

Inuyasha looked at her carefully. "There is no way.."

"Oh but there is," Saphira smiled sadly. "My mother may have sealed the well, but it didn't keep me from coming here."

"So, you're the daughter of the miko," stated Sesshoumaru. "Who is your father?"

"Oh, so many questions," Saphira smiled gleefully. "My father was a dragon that fell in love with my mother here..." She spread her hands out indicating the area they were in.

"What is his name?" Inuyasha demanded.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Smiled Saphira.

"Girl..." growled Sesshhoumaru placing his hand on Toukijin.

"Tsk, tsk...you promised," said Saphira wagging a claw at him. "My father is none of your concern."

"Why did you come here?" Asked Inuyasha painfully, he had known Kagome would find her own mate, but a dragon?

"To have fun!" Came the surprising answer.

"What?" Growled Sesshoumaru in surprise.

"Do you have any idea what it's like in the future?" Complained Saphira. "It is so boring, no wars, no adventure, nothing! I'm part dragon! I want adventure! So, I came through the well."

Sesshoumaru grimaced, "So, you've been following us?"

"Yep," came the happy response. "Following around two inuyoukai looked like fun!"

Sesschoumaru thought darkly to himself, 'Just what I need, another whelp following me around.' He glanced at her. 'Or in this case a worm.'


	3. A new companion

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own its characters. I do own the ideas of this story and the characters I have created for this story (i.e. Saphira). Please respect patent laws. Comments and reviews are appreciated.**

**Chapter 3: A New Companion**

Sesshoumaru released an annoyed huff when he caught the sight of Saphira, leaping from tree to tree to keep up with them. It amazed him how a halfblood, and a female at that, could keep up with two full-blooded youkai. She wasn't even showing signs of exertion.

"Keh!" Came Inuyasha's voice as he observed the same thing.

Sesshoumaru glanced at him raising a questioning brow.

Inuyasha grinned, evilly, and nodded. They dramatically picked up the pace.

Hours later they sat, quietly laughing to themselves.

"I can't...believe we...lost her!" Inuyasha said choking on his laughter.

Sesshoumaru smiled quietly, but it died on his lips when he heard the thud of someone softly dropping from the trees.

"Thought you could give me the slip, huh?" Came her voice, laughing wickedly. "You forget what I am."

Inuyasha almost felt guilty treating Kagome's daughter like a whelp, but quickly changed his mind when he saw her in the light of the fire.

She showed no sign of running all day, her cheeks were't flushed with fatigue and her eyes danced like the flames of the fire.

"We forget nothing," Sesshoumaru said coldly. "Sleep, we will keep watch until morning."

Saphira laughed out loud. "Me, sleep? I can smell your fatigue from here! Why don't you sleep and I'll keep watch?"

She laughed again and jumped into the trees.

"How...dare...she..." Sesshoumaru gowled his eyes flashing red.

"She is right, you know," reasoned Inuyasha. "We did just have a long battle."

He received nothing but a growl in reply. "We will continue to expand the borders of our land. With or without this...worm."

Sesshoumaru got up and walked out of the light of the fire to rest. He could hear Saphira's laughter floating down through the trees.

Inuyasha sensed rather than felt her dropping onto the ground next him.

"He's cute, but grumpy," she chirped settling down next to him.

Although Inuyasha was now a full-blooded youkai, his soul still had human qualities.

"You remind me of your mother," he said softly. A long silence followed his comment.

"Why did you betray her?" Saphira asked suddenly.

There was a long stretch of silence before the answer came.

"It...it was a terrible accident," came his confession. "I didn't even have to wish it aloud. It reached into my heart and granted my wish. I never meant to betray Kagome's trust."

Saphira chewed on her thoughts for a few moments before saying anything else.

"Who is your father?" Inuyasha asked suddenly.

Saphira's eyes hardened with youkai intensity. "I already told you that it was none of your concern."

Inuyasha blinked at the hardness in her voice. "Did he die?"

He studied her face but nothing passed over it.

Her stone cold expression remained. "I've already told you all that I am about him." She growled menacingly. "Drop it."

Sesshoumaru laughed inwardly from where he was sitting. He could hear everything that was said perfectly. He knew that Inuyasha would not be able to sweet talk any information out of her. Sesshoumaru had already figured out that whoever her father was, he was strong. Strong enough to make Sesshoumaru think that Saphira was more than just a halfblood. However, the miko mother did have strong powers when she had been running around with his brother...

"So, what are you doing?" Asked Saphira switching the conversation to a safer topic. "I heard Sesshoumaru say something about land...?"

Inuyasha leaned back against the tree. "Yeah, he wants more land for his inheritance."

"Doesn't he already have his inheritance?" Saphira asked looking in Sesshoumaru's direction.

"Yes, but he wants to add to it," explained Inuyasha, then shrugged. "Who am I to argue? If he dies before he has any pups, I'll inherit his estate."

"Hm." Was all the reply he got.

The next morning they made their way to the lands bordering Sesshoumaru's land in south. They lost sight of Saphira every now and then, but she always caught up, breathless and smiling. They stopped around noon next to a large river.

"This river is the border between my family's lands and the wolf pack's lands," explained Inuyasha to Saphira.

"It will not belong to them much longer," said Sesshoumaru coldly.

"Are we going to start a war?" Asked Saphira with excitement eying the other side of the river.

"You are not accompanying us into a fight, pup," Sesshoumaru said.

"What do you mean 'not accompanying' you?" Asked Saphira getting puffed up. "I can do whatever the hell I want!"

Without a second thought she started towards the river. Like a flash of lightening Sesshoumaru had her by the throat.

"If you are in MY company," Sesshoumaru began, his eyes flaring red, "you will obey my commands."

Just as fast as he had caught her, he suddenly smelled her dragon blood. A blue scaled tail coiled around his throat before he could blink.

"And if YOU are in my company," hissed Saphira, her own eyes flashing red, "you will respect me as a comrade and not treat me as a child. For I have seen far worse things then a wolf pack, or puffed up inuyoukai."

"Uh, we have company," Inuyasha said nodding to the other side of the river where the wolf pack stood.

"Truce for now," growled Sesshoumaru and released her, Saphira quickly followed suit.


	4. Saphira's First Battle

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own its characters. I do own the ideas of this story and the characters I have created for this story (i.e. Saphira). Please respect patent laws. Comments and reviews are appreciated.**

**Chapter 4: Saphira's First Battle**

"Ah, nothing like battle," breathed Saphira. She was wearing garments similiar to Inuyasha's, but hers were blue instead of red. Her garments were also made out of material that was actually fireproof. She pulled a blade from the inside of her garments. It wasn't as long as Toukijin, but it wasn't a short dagger either. It was about three feet in length, and the blade was thin, it was known in her time as a semaikatana.

"Keh! Going into battle with play toy?" Snorted Inuyasha with laughter.

Within seconds the blue blade was at his throat, Inuyasha found it was razor sharp.

"Does this feel like a toy to you?" Saphira asked smiling. She lifted the blue blade away from Inuyasha's throat and began to remove her outer garments. She was wearing a tight, black jump suit underneath, but it shimmered blue in the sunlight.

Inuyasha, curious, took a closer look. "That's chainmail! Really light chainmail too!"

Sesshoumaru only shot Saphira a narrow look before facing the wolf pack.

"Now that's how I like my woman to dress!" Shouted the wolf pack's leader.

Saphira recognized the voice to be the same one mourning her mother's absence. She growled loudly at the wolf prince, saying, "You have no woman, inbred!"

Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha smirked at her comment.

"Yeah, well, we all have our faults, don't we?" Kouga smiled. "Yours seems to be traveling with bad company."

"Enough," came Sesshoumaru's cold voice. "You have three days to vacate these lands, wolf."

"Over my dead body!"

"So be it," came the cool reply and with that the battle began.

Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha didn't even bother with their blades, but relied on tooth and claw.

Saphira eyed the battle between the brothers and dozen or so members of Kouga's pack. She jumped in when Kouga was coming up behind a distracted Sesshoumaru.

"Nuh, uh, uh," Saphira said landing inbetween the inuyoukai and the wolf prince. "We want to play fair now, don't we?"

The prince howled his frustration and charged Saphira. She easily knocked him to the ground.

"I heard you knew my mother," Saphira said casually.

"I wouldn't want to know the bitch who whelped you!" He said spitting out a mouth full of dirt, only to be knocked down again by the blunt side of Saphira's blade.

"Now, now, now, no one 'whelped' me my dear prince," Saphira said, her voice slightly laced with anger. "Even the dog could smell my mother on me. I thought wolves had the better sense of smell? Guess I was wrong!"

"You stupid..." Kouga began but then caught it. That flowery scent that belonged to only one woman he had known. "Kagome?"

"Now we're getting somewhere!" Laughed Saphira. "Now what else do you smell?"

Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha had all but finished the wolf pack, and were watching the scene between Kouga and Saphira.

They could smell Kouga's fear when he realized that she was part dragon.

"Dragon...halfblood...?" Kouga shuttered. He could deal with dumb dogs, but not a dragon, even a dragon halfblood. He was suddenly glad that none of his bitches had come into heat this season.

"We...will...be gone within three days..."

He tucked tail and ran.

Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha looked at one another.

"Oh, that's no fun!" Saphira whined, reminding Inuyasha instantly of Kagome. "I don't see how either of you have fun!"

"What did you expect, girl?" Came Sesshoumaru's cold, careless voice, and began walking northwest towards his mansion.

Inuyasha felt the power of Saphira's dragon as she released some of her anger. The wave was stronger enough to stop Sesshoumaru in his tracks.

"Do...not...threaten me, girl," he said quietly. Before Inuyasha had time to blink, Sesshoumaru had assumed his youkai form and was charging right at Saphira.

Saphira was smiling as her own eyes turned red. Her dragon form was slightly smaller than Sesshoumaru's because of the difference in age. Her dragon form was elegance, beauty and ferocity all wrapped in one form. Her scales were the color of her eyes, and her spine was the color of her hair.

She spread her wings and snapped at Sesshoumaru with blue fangs as he ran by missing her with his poisonous fangs. She circled above him in the air, as a raptor would circle it's prey. Sesshoumaru howled in frustration, his own prey just out of his reach.

She dived at him, grabbing and picking him up with her claws. She then threw him across the river into a field. He rolled, then sprang up growling angrily.

Suddenly, she flew into the blinding sun, neither Sesshoumaru nor Inuyasha could see her.

"Sesshoumaru!" Yelled Inuyasha, but the warning came too late. Saphira was already diving at Sesshoumaru and there wasn't enough time for him to move. She crashed into him at full speed making the ground quake from the power of her flight. Inuyasha was blinded by the dust of the collision.

What he saw when the dust cleared was unbelieveable.

Both Sesshoumaru and Saphira had reverted back to their humanoid forms. Saphira had her blue blade against Sesshoumaru's throat. Inuyasha knew that Sesshoumaru had reverted to save himself from the attack, what surprised him was that Saphira had reverted just as quickly.

Suddenly, Saphira smiled at Sesshoumaru, "We should spar again sometime. That was fun!"

She lifted the blade away from his throat and offered him a hand up.

He took her hand, grudgingly, muttering, "...fun...?"

"Yes, fun," she said pulling him up easily. "Didn't you ever spar with your father?"

"No." Was the icy reply.

"Too bad," Saphira said shaking her head, "I learned everything I know from my father."

She sheathed her blade and donned her outer garments once more, humming quietly to herself.

"...'Am I more than you barganed for'...yeah!" Saphira sang out loud. "...'I'm just a notch in your bedpost...but you're just a line in a song'...!"

She looked up to see the brothers eying her warily. "Sorry...where to next?"

Sesshoumaru looked from Inuyasha to Saphira, "I have business to attend to. Entertain yourselves for three days then meet me back here."

With that he disappeared into the trees.

"So, now what?" Saphira smiled turning to Inuyasha.

Inuyasha's mouth was still hanging open from the shock of Sesshoumaru's departure. "Uh...well, I could show you around...?"


	5. Sesshoumaru's Business

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own its characters. I do own the ideas of this story and the characters I have created for this story (i.e. Saphira). Please respect patent laws. Comments and reviews are appreciated**

**Chapter 5: Sesshoumaru's Business**

He couldn't believe she had humilated him like that! In front of his brother too! Questions filled Sesshoumaru's head as he sped towards his mansion. 'Who was her father...?'

The one question she wouldn't answer. As if he would go find dragon and kill him before he could mate with the miko. Sesshoumaru mentally paused.

"That's it!" He had figured out why she wouldn't tell them who the dragon was. It was smart, actually, she wanted him to live long enough to mate her mother. If he died now, she would never have been whelped. She was an awesome fighter, though, and he would never want to destroy a great challenge like that.

However, it wasn't in the personality of Sesshoumaru to leave a mystery unsolved. Especially one that had just humilated him on the battle field.

He paused mentally again as another thought popped into his mind. 'How did she transform into dragon form!'

How, indeed? Inuyasha had never been able to fully transform into youkai form when he had been a hanyou. She had changed without the scent of her blood changing, unlike Inuyasha whose scent had changed when his demon blood ran strong.

Many possibilities loomed in front of him. Her father must have been a very powerful dragon. Or perhaps having a miko for a mother made her more powerful. He would have to meditate on this mystery girl from the future.

_"My father was a dragon that fell in love with my mother here..." _her words came back to him suddenly. If she was telling the truth, then youkai had survived centuries into the future. He or Inuyasha could be alive in her own time. But, one thought nagged at his mind. If Inuyasha had lived through the ages to Kagome's time, wouldn't he have found her and claimed her as his mate?

He had many questions that he had no answers to, and that made Sesshoumaru restless...

"The well is called the Bone Eaters Well," Inuyasha said as he showed her around the forest named after him.

"What happened to Kikyou?" Saphira asked.

Inuyasha narrowed his golden eyes. "She went back to the afterlife...after I transformed."

They walked in silence for sometime.

"How can you move so fast?" Inuyasha asked breaking the silence.

Saphira grinned. "With these."

Her clothing moved aside to allow her wings a free range of motion. They were smaller than the wings

she possessed in dragon form. They were the same brilliant blue color of her eyes.

Her eyes twinkled with laughter, "My father taught me how to control the dragon within me. In my mother's time, I had to suppress my dragon to such an extent that neither my tail nor my wings showed."

"When I was hanyou, I didn't have the ability to transform," Inuyasha frowned not understanding why

she had such power.

"Ah, but you were part inuyoukai," Saphira said flippantly. "I am a dragon halfblood and have much more power. I told you my father was very powerful."

"Do you fully transform into your human form once a month?" Inuyasha asked curiously.

"Now Inuyasha, would you tell anyone that you transformed?" Saphira asked cleverly.

"Well, no," he admitted.

"No, I don't transform," Saphira said surprising him. "The dragon in my blood is too strong."

Inuyasha still didn't understand, but he supposed she would explain further when she was comfortable with him.

"Tell me what my mother was like," Saphira asked suddenly. "When she came here."

Inuyasha thought for a few moments before answering. "She was very brave, and kind."

Saphira sighed softly.

"Why do you ask? Surely, you know what your own mother was like?" Inuyasha said.

"I...I didn't spend a lot of time with her," Saphira admitted quietly. "My father allowed her to take care of me until I was weaned, then I traveled with him most of my life."

"Do all people from your time have your accent?" Inuyasha asked remembering that Kagome didn't sound like Saphira.

"No, I wasn't born in Japan," Saphira laughed. "I was born in a place called America."

"Where's that?"

She pointed east towards the ocean. "Across the sea, thousands and thousands of miles from here."

They walked in silence until they came upon the God Tree.

"Is this where you were trapped by Kikyou's arrow?" She asked putting a hand on the bark.

Inuyasha's eyes softened, "Yes, and your mother freed me."

He put a hand on her shoulder. She tensed, and, before Inuyasha could blink, had her semaikatana blade against his throat.

He blinked as the sun landed on the blue blade, temporarily blinding him.

"Do not ever confuse me with my mother," Saphira hissed. "I may have human in me, but I have more dragon then even you would believe."

"S...Sorry..." he stuttered. She removed her blade from his throat just as fast as she had put it there.

"The woman you once knew as 'brave and kind'," Saphira growled, "has become a weak coward."

"Surely, you don't mean..." he began.

"I could always smell the fear on her," Saphira spat cutting him off. "She had nothing to be afraid of, my father would have protected her from anything that threatened her."

"You have to remember that she is human, and cannot help being afraid," Inuyasha said soothingly.

"I'm sure she worried about her family, husband and daughter."

"Perhaps," Saphira said letting go of her anger for the moment.

"What was the name again, Lord Sesshoumaru?" asked the servant as he dusted off a large book.

"Saphira," came the cool answer.

"Saphira...Saphira...so familiar..." the old servant muttered to himself. "Ryuu."

Sesshoumaru waited for the old man to continue, but when he said nothing...

"What? What about ryuu?" Sesshoumaru demanded.

"No...no, not ryuu as in dragon. Ryuu as in Lord Ryuu," explained the servant. "Very powerful tairyuu. His family came from the east, near the sea. Sea dragons, actually, ocean blue scales, fiery spine...very powerful bloodline. It seems to me, my Lord, that Saphira has descended from this bloodline."

"She is a halfbood," Sesshoumaru said cooly.

"No matter," said the old man briskly. "If she were indeed of Ryuu's line, she would be far more

powerful than any hanyou or halfblood."

"How do I find Ryuu?" Asked Sesshoumaru.

"Oh, my," the man sighed. "He has been missing for many years, my Lord. I believe the last time he was seen was, oh, thirty years ago."

Sesshoumaru's eyebrows rose at this comment. The miko had disappeared back into the well thirty

years ago. Then, Saphira had appeared.

"Very well then, I want to know everything about this bloodline," Sesshoumaru said cooly. "You may use any resources that are necessary. And I must have the information within three days time."

"Yes, my Lord," the servant murmered returning to the book.

The dragon on the page painfully reminded Sesshoumaru of Saphira.

"My Lord?"

"Yes?" Sesshoumaru turned to look back at the old man from the doorway.

"There is a prophecy, my Lord, about a dragon of Ryuu's bloodline, and..."

"Well?" Sesshoumaru asked slightly annoyed.

The old servant looked up to make eye contact. "And a inuyoukai...of...of your family's line."


	6. Saphira's Reflection

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own its characters. I do own the ideas of this story and the characters I have created for this story (i.e. Saphira). Please respect patent laws. Comments and reviews are appreciated**

**Chapter 6: Saphira's Reflection**

"SAPHIRA!" Inuyasha bellowed.

She was miles away from him, but her ears twitched as his words reached her. She had found a small lake, and was busy studying her reflection.

It had been many years since she had even looked into a mirror. Her own brilliant, ocean blue eyes

twinkled back at her.

But, she felt as if she wasn't looking at the person she really was. For so long she had traveled with her father, trying to be everything he wanted her to be. She had tried hard to live up to his expectations. In the end, even her own strength betrayed her.

She had hid who she was from her father. She blinked away the tears threatening to fall from her jewel eyes. He had never known the real her, he had only known the person she had pretended to be.

"Who are you?" She asked her reflection quietly. 'Will I never be loved for who I am?'

Her heart burned to know why she had concealed herself from him. She had been too afraid of disappointing him to be herself. Would she forever be her reflection? Someone she didn't even know?

Suddenly, she caught the scent of something foreign.

"Bad timing," came a voice not to far from her.

She turned quickly to see a man with a red braid, and sky blue eyes.

She tried to blink away the apparation from her vision. Finally her nose gave her negative confirmation, this person, whoever he was, was not her dead father. He was however, a dragon.

"What do you want?" She hissed.

"You, lovey," he smiled, his fangs gleaming in the sunlight.

Saphira growled in response and made to get away, but he was too fast.

"Where're you going, lovey?" He asked grabbing her wrist, and taking a deep breath. "You're part human, but I can deal with that."

With her free hand, Saphira grabbed her blue blade and swung at the dragon.

He stopped the blow with his free arm, her blade grinding against his skin. "Whose fang did you steal to make this?"

Saphira's pupils quickly narrowed to invisable slits. "You will never take me alive."

"Must you do things the hard way, lovey?" He sighed hearing her growl. "Very well then."

He grabbed her blade with his bare hand and threw it over the trees, he then pulled her arm behind her pulling it up painfully.

Her face was away from him, and so he didn't see her eyes flashing red. She transformed before he

had time to congratulate himself. Saphira, in dragon form, was on top of his small human form and her fangs inches away from his face.

"Two can play that game, lovey," he said smiling, his smile turned into a snarl as he transformed.

Saphira tried to flee before he could fully transform, but he soon caught up with her. They both crashed into the ground. The ground shook from the impact, even Inuyasha, miles away, felt the tremor.

They clawed and bit each other until the air was thick with the smell of their blood.

"Give up, lovey?" The bloodred dragon asked.

Flames burst from Saphira's mouth in reply, the blue flames licked the dragon's face.

He roared in pain as the flames purified his face. For once, Saphira was glad that she had inherited her mother's miko powers.

"I'll never give up," growled Saphira. 'I have to fight him!' Saphira thought fervently.

But, she was bleeding badly, and had never been in a battle where her life had hung in the balance. This thought pushed her to make her next move. She literally sumorsaulted over the dragons head and had her fangs in his tail before he could recover.

He jerked his tail away from and whipped it across her muzzle, then hopped onto her back and clamped down on her back.

She roared in pain and agony.

"I suggest that you leave," came a voice through the haze of pain. Saphira recognized Inuyasha's voice, but all she saw was a transformed inuyoukai.

"Why should I listen to you!" The dragon asked through his teeth.

"Oh, I'm sorry, you don't know do you?" Inuyasha sneered at him. "You are on my land, and I nor my brother take kindly to trespassers."

"Sesshoumaru?" The dragon could handle one inuyoukai, but not two. Especially not when was a taiyoukai that was famous throughout the land. He slowly released Saphira, who flew faster than she ever had in her life to Inuyasha's side.

"Leave. Now."

"I will be back for what is mine," the dragon growled before taking off and flying to the east.

Saphira watched until the dragon was out of sight, she then fainted transforming back into human form as she fell.

Inuyasha gasped with surprise, he quickly transformed. He picked Saphira up, and made his way to his brother's estate picking up her sword on his way.

* * *

Saphira's fevered, bandaged body thrashed in the bed she had been given. An older woman had been given the task of watching over the halfblood. She quickly went to the bedside and began murmering lullabies.

"Mom...please...so sorry..." Came Saphira's fevered voice, but the older woman couldn't understand the language the halfblood was speaking in.

The older woman turned to the door as it creaked open and murmered, "My Lord."

Sesshoumaru stood in the doorway with a cold expression on his face. The woman knew that expression very well. Obviously, her lord was having conflicting emotions concerning the halfblood in her care. Perhaps that was he had insisted on her caring for the damaged halfblood. She was the only woman he completely trusted. His face was hiding all emotions because he was confused about what he was feeling.

"Rin, how is she?" Came Sesshoumaru's voice through Rin's thoughts.

"Her wounds are healing very quickly, my Lord," Rin answered quickly.

"Why does she still have a fever?" He walked into the room and stood by the window.

"I do not know, my Lord," Rin said bowing her head.

"You may leave now, Rin," Sesshoumaru said dismissing her.

"Would you like me to send someone else in?" She asked at the door.

"No."

He settled down on the nook by the window studying the face of the dragon halfblood. She had not only survived a battle against one of the most powerful dragons of his time, but she had put up a good fight. From what his brother had told him, she had damaged the dragon almost as much as he had damaged her. Her face had healed the fastest, the marks of her battle had faded to almost nothing.

He got up looking at her face closely, noticing something for the first time since their meeting. He touched his own face as he recognized the markings on hers. She had the same parallel markings on her cheeks, except hers were a pale blue. The only reason he had noticed was because she had paled so much from the loss of blood. When her skin was healthy the marks went unnoticed. He picked up her forearm and saw marks matching his own, the same except for the color.

"Who are you...?" He wondered aloud.

"Father...?" Came her voice in the foreign tongue, he looked down at her face, but she was still unconscious. "I ... ... . ..didn't... know...Father..."

Her golden red lashes fluttered, but she remained asleep.

When she said no more, Sesshoumaru quietly left the room.

"Watch her closely," he ordered the servant sitting outside the door. "Inform me immediately of any changes."

"Yes, my Lord," the girl said, bowing, and slipping quietly into the room.

Sesshoumaru made his way to his study encountering only one person.

"Inuyasha, come with me," Sesshoumaru requested quietly. Inuyasha nodded and followed Sesshoumaru into his study.

"Are you sure the dragon she fought was the son of Ryuukotsusei?" Sesshoumaru asked as he settled down at his desk.

"Keh, do you think I'm that much of an idiot?" Inuyasha snorted.

"Just confirming the story," Sesshoumaru sighed. "So it's true then."

"Man, she gave him a run for his money, too!" Inuyasha snorted with laughter.

"And he was on our land?" Sesshoumaru asked ignoring his brother's laughter.

"Yes," Inuyasha said sobering up. "He was so hell bent on getting her that he totally ignored the borders."

Sesshoumaru frowned at this. "I want you to move your things into the room next to hers. If anything happens, you'll be right there to stop it."

Inuyasha nodded. "Okay, but what about you?"

"What about me, Inuyasha?" Asked Sesshoumaru cooly.

"Why don't you move closer to her too?"

Sesshoumaru growled. "I have more important things to attend to."

"Feh, whatever," Inuyasha said rolling his eyes.

* * *

Saphira woke up with the sun shining in her face. "Uhhh..."

She tried to sit up, but felt a stabbing pain in her back.

"Don't move, my lady," came an older woman's voice.

"Where...where am I?" Saphira asked, panic creeping into her voice. 'Had Inuyasha been a dream?'

"This is Lord Sesshoumaru and Lord Inuyasha's estate," the woman said.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Rin," the woman said kindly. "You have severe injuries on your back, my lady. The rest of your injuries have healed already."

Saphira, who had never been severly injured in her life, began to panic. "What do you mean? They haven't healed yet?"

"The poison from Saibairyuukotsusei's fangs will slow your healing," came a cool voice from the doorway. "Your father surely told you about the poison of dragon fangs, didn't he?"

He made his way over to nook by the window.

"I don't have poisonous fangs, why would I need to know?" Saphira scowled, then her face softened. "There weren't many of us left, the only other dragon I knew was my father. We never encountered another."

Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Only two of you?"

"Yes," she said quietly and looked away from him to the window. "How long will it take to heal?"

"A few days at the most," said Rin.

Saphira stared down at her arms in silence, then gasped when she caught sight of her blue markings. She quickly put her hands under the sheets.

Sesshoumaru, noticing this, said, "I've already seen them, and so has Rin. You need not hide them."

Saphira glared at him, but pulled her forearms out and studied the markings. She didn't know why she had these markings, her father didn't have any markings. What was even more confusing was that they matched the markings on Sesshoumaru's arms.

"I want a mirror!" Saphira demanded shrilly catching sight of the markings on Sesshoumaru's face. Rin quickly brought Saphira a small hand mirror.

Her breath caught in her throat when she similar markings on her own cheeks. "Where...where did they come from?"

Sesshoumaru shot her a narrow look. "You mean this is the first time you've seen them?"

"Yes," she said trembling. "My father didn't have markings like this."

"Of course he wouldn't," came Inuyasha's voice from the doorway. "They are the markings of an inuyoukai."


	7. The Prophecy

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own its characters. I do own the ideas of this story and the characters I have created for this story (i.e. Saphira). Please respect patent laws. Comments and reviews are appreciated.**

**Chapter 7: The Prophecy**

"Why didn't you tell me?" Inuyasha asked quietly outside Saphira's door.

Sesshoumaru scowled, "I don't have to report to you every time I learn something new."

"Keh," Inuyasha turned and walked off. Sesshoumaru frowned at Inuyasha's back.

"Why do you care so much?" Sesshoumaru called softly.

Inuyasha stopped and turned to face Sesshoumaru. "She is the daughter of the woman I loved."

"She is not the miko, Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru said harshly.

"I am aware of that, Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha said. "The markings on her face and arms, they mean what I think they do, don't they?"

Sesshoumaru sighed. "I will not discuss it with you in the hallway."

He turned and made his way to the study with Inuyasha following closely behind him. Inuyasha closed the door as Sesshoumaru settled down at his desk.

"Well?" Inuyasha said expectantly.

"Saphira descended from a dragon by the name of Ryuu," Sesshoumaru. "Whoever Saphira's father is, he was descended from Ryuu. Ryuu was a great dragon lord of the eastern lands, near the sea. They're known as sea dragons. Long ago, there was a war between the eastern dragons and the dog demons of the west. The lords of both sides were finally able to stop the bloodshed by making a pact. The fifth generation, with the lords' children being the first, would marry and seal the pact. This would forever bind the two lands together."

"That war...it was the war that our family fought, wasn't it?" Inuyasha asked. "The fifth generation would be one of us."

Sesshoumaru nodded. "But which one?"

* * *

Saphira moved, she winced expecting pain, but there was none. She sighed with relief, she had been in the bed for many days and wished desperately to leave the dull room.

She sat up to see that Rin was absent. Her hair was out of its normal braid and was flowing down her back to her waist. She swung her legs off the bed slowly, and made her way to what looked like a wardrobe. She opened it finding feminine clothes. She picked out a light blue kimono and slipped into it. She put on some sandals, and peeked out the door. When she saw that the coast was clear she made her way quickly down the hallway. The hallway opened up into a beautiful garden. She blinked as the sun blinded her. When her eyes adjusted she gasped in surprise. She had never seen a more beautiful garden in all her travels. The garden had every kind of flower imaginable along with blossoming cherry trees. A small brook flowed through the garden making the setting serene.

She made her to cherry tree and sat down in the shade. The short walk had exhausted her, she soon found it hard to keep her eyes open...

* * *

Sesshoumaru was leafing through the book that held Saphira's history when someone burst into his study.

"My Lord!" Cried Rin.

"What is the meaning of this, Rin?" Sesshoumaru demanded standing up.

"The girl...my Lord...she is missing!" Rin said mournfully. "I left her sleeping, to get something to eat, and when I came back she was gone!"

"Have everyone search this castle top to bottom," growled Sesshoumaru. "No one rests until she is found."

"Yes, my Lord," Rin said bobbing and shutting the door. Sesshoumaru sighed and looked out his window. The view was of the garden he had carefully put together. He scanned the garden thinking of how long it had taken him to create when soemthing caught his eye. There was something red under one of his cherry trees.

He growled as he hopped out the window into the garden.

She was dreaming, she had to be. Her father was standing in front of her talking. At least Saphira thought he was talking, his mouth was moving, but she couldn't hear the words. She moved closer to him, but when she moved her father turned into the bloodred dragon that had attacked her in Inuyasha's Forest. She screamed, but no sound left her lips.

Sesshoumaru was a few feet away from her when the scream tore from Saphira's lips. He quickly covered the few feet that separated them and began to shake her.

"Saphira! Wake up, girl!" He ordered, those blue jewels were looking into his eyes when he looked down.

"Sesshoumaru...?" Came her trembling voice.

"You shouldn't have left your room," he scolded. "He is still searching for you."

She shuddered and buried her face into his robes. Sesshoumaru was surprised by her actions. What had happened to the strong, cocky, halfblood he had met days before? What was this feeling blossoming in his chest? He couldn't explain what he was feeling. He looked down at the girl clinging to his robes, who was she?

"Sesshoumaru! What happened!" Inuyasha yelled running into the garden. "Is she okay?"

Inuyasha's voice seemed to pull Saphira out of her funk, she stood up unsteadily. "I am fine."

"Good, because you have to answer some questions for us," Sesshoumaru said stepping away from her. "You must tell us who your father is."

Saphira's face immediately transformed into the face Kagome made when she was going to refuse to answer any questions. Inuyasha had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing.

"I'm not..." Saphira began but Sesshoumaru cut her off.

"Look, neither Inuyasha nor myself are going to hunt down your father and kill him before you are whelped," Sesshoumaru said. "We want to know why this dragon lord is after you. To figure that out we must know who your father is."

Saphira looked uncertainly from Sesshoumaru to Inuyasha.

"We won't hurt you," Inuyasha said kindly.

"You can trust them," came another voice, Saphira turned to see Rin. "Lord Sesshoumaru has always been kind to me."

Saphira swallowed her feelings. "His name is Doragon."


	8. Saphira's Mask

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own its characters. I do own the ideas of this story and the characters I have created for this story (i.e. Saphira). Please respect patent laws. Comments and reviews are appreciated.**

**Chapter 8: Saphira's Mask**

Saphira stiffly made her way back to the room they had cramped her in, but she turned when she reached the doorway.

"I want another room," she stated calmly forcing both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru to acknowledge her. "I want a room with windows facing this garden, and with walls that aren't a dull color."

Rin looked to Sesshoumaru for approval, when he nodded she hurried into the castle to change Saphira's arrangements.

Inuyasha shot Sesshoumaru a suspicious look, for the only rooms that faced the garden were Sesshoumaru's private rooms. Sesshoumaru shook his head, this was neither the time nor the place to question his decisions.

Saphira turned to follow Rin into the castle, but was stopped when a hand grabbed her arm.

Saphira turned to meet amber eyes, but these burned into her own chilling gaze.

"You're welcome," was all Sesshoumaru said.

Saphira looked down and said something softly in another language, but when Sesshoumaru didn't release she looked up at him. "Thank you."

When he released her arm she went into the castle to find Rin. She found the woman bustling back and forth between her old room and the new one. Saphira stood in the doorway of the new room in amazement. The room was decorated in every shade of blue imaginable. The bedcloths and the curtains were sliver and moving with breeze coming through the windows.

Saphira smiled faintly and climbed into the huge bed to sleep off the exhaustion that had suddenly overcome her.

* * *

"Your own personal chamber!" Inuyasha cried as they walked into the library.

"Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru warned. "Mayr, does the name Doragon ring any bells?"

The old man looked up from his novels, squinting slightly. "Doragon? Yes, yes, I know that name!"

The old man hurried to a pile of books, pulling the book from the very bottom of the pile. "Here! Here! Master Sesshoumaru! Look at this!"

The old man turned the pages of the dusty volume with ease and experience. "Here!"

The page had the drawing of a dragon, one whose resemblance to Saphira was uncanny. Inuyasha gasped at the likeness.

"Doragon was the great-great-great-grandson of Ryuu," the old man said proudly. "He was the last child born to Ryuu's line."

"What?" Inuyasha asked. "How do you know that, old man."

"Inuyasha!" Scolded Sesshoumaru.

"Phhhfffttt..." the old man huffed. "I make it my business to know! Anything that once involved this family, I've learned all I can about it. Doragon's child would be bethrothed to one of you!"

"What happened to him, Mayr?" Sesshoumaru asked patiently, for the old man was valuable.

"Well," the old man began. "He was banished from the family. Good thing too, if he hadn't been banished he would have been slaughtered with the rest of his family."

"Who killed his family?" Asked Inuyasha.

"Ryuukotsusei," the old man said quietly. "They were rival dragon clans, always fighting each other for the upper hand. When the pact was struck between your family and Ryuu, Ryuukotsusei became jealous and worried that the pact would lessen his power and authority. He caused your father's death by taking all his strength, he only used the marriage to Lord Inuyasha's mother as a cover up. He wanted to disguise the real reason behind his attack, which was jealously and fear of what was to come. Inutaisho, however, sealed Ryuukotsusei up, but when Naraku realeased him he finished what he had started."

"So, her family is dead then?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"All but Doragon," Inuyasha said. "Remember? He mated with Kagome in the future. Mayr, why was Doragon banished from his clan?"

"For falling in love with a mortal," came Mayr's chilling answer.

* * *

"My Lady?" Rin's voice broke through the haze of Saphira's dreams.

"Hmmm?"

"Would you like to bathe, my Lady?" Rin asked coming into the room.

Saphira sat up in the bed. "Yes, a bath would be nice."

"Come along, then, I'll show you to the bathhouse," Rin said collecting extra clothes for Saphira to change into.

Saphira followed Rin out of the house and through the garden to a small hut. Steam was coming from the bathhouse's roof. Rin pushed the door and Saphira was hit by a blast of fragrant steam.

"Almost like home," Saphira sighed recalling the hot baths she had loved taking.

Rin glanced at Saphira, 'This girl must have come from a very wealthy family to know more of luxury than even what Sesshoumaru has known.'

"Fill a tub," Rin ordered the bathhouse girl, the girl bobbed and quickly went to work.

Once Rin had Saphira settled in a hot tub of water, she was unsure of what to do.

"Would you like me to wash your hair, my Lady?" Rin asked.

"No, thank you," Saphira said politely. "If you could show me where the shampoo is, I'll do it myself."

"Shanpu...oh!" Rin exclaimed. "You mean the senpatsu! Yes, it's over here by the towels."

Rin brought the shampoo and wash closer to the tub. "I will fix you something to eat while you are bathing."

"Thank you."

When Rin left, Saphira sunk deeper into the tub. The hot water was relaxing her muscles and easing the tension. She was in this new world she had never known much about. After her clash with Saibairyuukotsusei, she was beginning to doubt sense of coming into this world, but she was drawn here. The well had been softly calling her name since her father had died and she had returned to Japan and her mother. But, her own mother had been afraid of her. Every time Kagome had caught Saphira with her wings or tail exposed. Even with her mother she couldn't be herself. When she had been with her father she had to hide her human half, and with her mother she had to hide her dragon half. With both her parents she had only been half the person she really was.

She growled inwardly at her parents for forcing her to hide herself from them. But she was neither human nor dragon, she was a halfling and neither of her parents had wanted to accept that. Her mother had been too afraid and her father had been too proud.

She gazed at her reflection in the water. She was still wearing her mask. But she didn't want to wear this mask anymore! She didn't want to have a secret person dwelling inside. She didn't want to pretend to be someone else anymore. She wanted to be her, Saphira. She was a halfblood and she would no longer conceal it or be ashamed.

She would forever remove her mask, and her reflection would show who she was inside.

Finding peace, she dunked her head under the water, came up and started to wash her long hair.

* * *

As Sesshoumaru stepped outside and into the garden, he saw Rin hurrying from the bathhouse.

"Rin."

Rin stopped when she reached and bowed. "Yes, my Lord?"

"Where is the girl?"

"The bathhouse, my Lord," Rin answered. "I was going to the kitchen to fetch her something to eat."

"Carry on."

"Yes, my Lord," she bobbed and hurried off.

Sesshoumaru settled down under the cherry tree to meditate on all the information he had absorbed. Inuyasha knew what the markings on the girl's arms and face meant. The fact that they matched Sesshoumaru's own markings had a great impact on him. It was him that she was meant to mate. But, did she know that? This girl from the future? How could she possibly know about a prophecy made more than five hundreds before her birth?

"How indeed?" He murmered to himself.

"How what?" Came a soft voice. He looked up to see her standing there, her wet hair was clinging to her face.

She sat down next him. "Well?"

"You and I are betrothed," he said bluntly.

She giggled, surprising him. He lifted his eyebrows at her.

"No, really...what did you mean?" She managed to say inbetween giggles.

"That is what he meant," came Inuyasha's voice.

Saphira swallowed her laughter. "Wh...what?"

"What do you think the markings on your face and forearms mean?" Inuyasha asked.

She looked down at her arms and gasped, the markings had become darker, more noticeable.

"But...but I'm from the future!" She cried. "There's no way we could be betrothed!"

"There is a prophecy," Sesshoumaru said calmly. "About your family and mine. Our ancestors made a pact that the fifth generation, starting with their children, would marry. Inuyasha and I are the fifth generation of our family. Doragon is the fourth of yours, making you the fifth."

"That means that I was supposed to come back," Saphira whispered. "Back to the past."


	9. Abduction

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own its characters. I do own the ideas of this story and the characters I have created for this story (i.e. Saphira). Please respect patent laws. Comments and reviews are appreciated.**

**Chapter 9: Abducted**

Saphira woke up, someone was moving around in the room. She looked up to see Rin putting fresh flowers in a vase.

"My Lord wishes you to breakfast with him," Rin informed her seeing that she was awake. "Would you like me to plait your hair?"

"Yes, please," Saphira said getting out of bed. Rin had laid out a midnight blue kimono with a pink obi. Saphira sat in a chair while Rin plaited her hair. After Rin was finished she left Saphira to get dressed.

When Saphira opened the door into the hallway, Rin was waiting to lead her into the dining room. They made their way down the hallway with many twists and turns.

When they reached the dining room, Saphira hesitated in the doorway. For the first time in her life, she let her feelings show on her face.

"Please, sit here," Sesshoumaru said sensing Saphira's unease, he pulled the intended chair away from the table. Saphira slowly made her way to the chair and sat down.

Sesshoumaru sat at the head of the table with Saphira to his right. Inuyasha came in as Sesshoumaru was sitting down. Inuyasha sat across from Saphira and to Sesshoumaru's left.

Several servants began bringing out the food.

"I don't know very much about my father's family," Saphira admitted carefully. "Could you explain to me how we became betrothed?"

"Our families were at war," Sesshoumaru began. "They had been fighting for many decades over land and power. My ancestor and your ancestor, Ryuu, finally decided it was time to stop the bloodshed. They made a pact that the fifth generation of their descendants would marry and bind the two families forever."

"But, why me? I mean, there are two of you, couldn't there be someone else that's the fifth generation too?" Saphira asked.

Inuyasha looked at Sesshoumaru. "You're family was slaughtered."

Saphira was shocked into silence.

"Did Kagome ever tell you about Naraku?" Inuyasha asked, when Saphira nodded he continued. "Well, after our father, Inutaisho, sealed Ryuukotsusei, he was killed. But, when Naraku came around he released Ryuukotsusei. Ryuukotsusei then went after your family, and killed everyone but your father."

"My father survived?" Saphira said, then it clicked. "He was banished...because of my mother. It saved his life!"

"Yes," said Sesshoumaru. "When a member of the family is banished, they are no longer considered family. So, when Ryuukotsusei attacked your family, he didn't even think about your father."

Tears flooded Saphira's jewel eyes. "They're all dead?"

Both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were surprised by her reaction, neither one of them had expected her to react in this manner. They had expected anger, dishonor, and shame, but not grief.

"You still have your father," Inuyasha said quietly realizing what she was upset about. She had said earlier that she had only known her father and no others. She was grieving for the family she would never have or know. In a way, Inuyasha could understand her grief, never knowing his own parents very well before their deaths.

"Excuse me," Saphira said getting up from the table and running out of the room.

Sesshoumaru sighed and got up as well.

"Should we try to find him?" Inuyasha asked uncertainly.

Sesshoumaru stopped in the doorway. "I am not sure that would help the situation."

Inuyasha frowned, but made up his mind and left the dining room too.

* * *

Sesshoumaru stood at the window in his study. The window was facing the garden.

"How long has she been out there?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"A few hours, my Lord," Rin answered. "She is still grieving."

"Where is Inuyasha?"

"He left, my Lord."

Sesshoumaru turned at this. "When?"

"This morning, just after breakfast, my Lord," Rin said.

Sesshoumaru growled, then said. "Make sure she isn't hungry."

"Yes, my Lord," Rin bobbed and left the study. She made her way to the kitchen and picked up a small plate of food. She then left the kitchen and went to the garden. Saphira was sitting by the small brook underneath the cherry blossom tree.

"My Lady?" Rin said uncertainly.

"Yes?" Came the soft reply, her face was pale, but her eyes were dry.

"I brought you some food, my Lady," Rin said approaching Saphira with the plate.

"No thank you, Rin," Saphira said looking up at Rin.

Rin bobbed and left the garden passing Sesshoumaru on her way into the house.

"Please, my Lord," Rin pleaded.

"What?" Sesshoumaru didn't know what Rin wanted.

"Talk to her, my Lord," Rin pleaded. "She is alone in this world, and has no friends."

Rin hurried away before Sesshoumaru could reply. Sesshoumaru made his way out to the garden to find Saphira studying her face in the reflection of the water.

"Why must we all conceal who we are and how we feel?" Saphira asked.

Sesshoumaru was taken aback by her question and simply sat down next to her.

"I don't even know who she is," Saphira said gesturing at her reflection. "But I don't know him either."

She smiled at his reflection. "We don't even know each other. How are we supposed to marry?"

"How do people marry in your time?" Sesshoumaru asked.

She laughed. "Well, it's supposed to be boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, boy loses girl, and boy wins girl back."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. "Is that some sort of mating dance?"

Saphira laughed even harder. "No...no, it's a sequence of events. You know, the way something is supposed to happen?"

Sesshoumaru furrowed his brow at this. "Like becoming a lord?"

"Yes!" Saphira said. "There are certain things that have to happen before you can become lord. It's the same concept with marriage, there are things that have to happen before the marriage can take place."

"Like?"

"Like falling in love!"

"What does love have to do with marriage?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Both of Saphira's eyebrows shot up at this comment. "Love has everything to do with marriage. That is why people get married because they love one another. Didn't your father marry Inuyasha's mother for love?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed to invisable slits. "My father did many foolish things, things that eventually caused his death."

"You call marrying the woman you love foolish?" Saphira exploded. "And what about you, Sesshoumaru? Are you going to marry for something 'foolish' like love? Or are you going to marry so that you can get more land!"

She stood up and stomped off before Sesshoumaru could reply. She passed Rin in the hallway.

"Rin?"

"Yes, my Lady?" Rin had heard the argument in the garden and could barely contain her laughter.

Saphira didn't notice this. "Please bring me some lunch."

"Yes, my Lady," Rin bobbed and hurried off to the kitchen. On her way to there she passed Sesshoumaru.

"One minute she's crying and the next she's blowing up in my face," he muttered, then he caught sight of Rin.

"Rin!"

"Yes, my Lord?"

"What should I do, Rin?" Sesshoumaru asked her.

"Why are you asking me, my Lord?" Rin asked nervously.

He waved his hand at her question. "You know humans better than me. I do not understand this girl."

"Well, my Lord, from what I can tell love plays a very important role in her society," Rin started slowly. "She does not know how it is in this society. The concept of a woman marrying a man without loving him is completely foreign to her. She also does not know that in this society, you must marry the person you are betrothed to or there will be severe repercussions. And the two of you are betrothed..."

"I know all of this, Rin," Sesshoumaru growled. "What I want to know is what to do about it all?"

Rin thought for a moment, then smiled. "Boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl...that's what you're supposed to do right? Chivalry, my Lord. Fall in love with her, and she will fall in love with you."

Sesshoumaru looked like he was about to protest, but Rin cut him off.

"You asked me, my Lord," Rin shrugged. "You could take her lunch to her...?"

Sesshoumaru, defeated, nodded slowly and followed Rin into the kitchen. He took the tray that Rin prepared and made his way up to his room that Saphira currently occupied.

He knocked, and when he heard, "Come in." He entered the room.

"Thank you, Rin, I'm s-" she stopped when she turned and saw Sesshoumaru. "Where's Rin?"

"She had other things she had to attend to," Sesshoumaru said coolly, setting the tray on the small table.

"Thank you," Saphira said quietly, she felt bad about her outburst earlier. Her host had been very kind to her and she had forgotten her manners.

Many weeks went by and Sesshoumaru continued to court Saphira and she found herself often gazing into amber eyes. She finally realized that she was falling for the boy, and decided to learn more about his family.

She found herself in the library with a very old man.

"Excuse me?" Saphira said.

"Eh?" Mayr grunted looking up. "Oh! Mistress Saphira! What can I help you with?"

"Well, could you tell me about Lord Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha's family?" She asked shyly.

"Ah, want to know what you're getting youreself into, huh?" He winked at her. "I can certainly help you!"

He began to tell her about Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha's family history, but when he got to the war between her family and theirs things got interesting.

"So, they finally made a pact with each other so that the fighting could stop. They would join their families together by marriage, thus bringing the east and the west together at long last!" Mayr said.

"But, my family was killed and my father was banished!" Saphira said.

"Ah, yes, very sad, I'm afraid," Mayr admitted. "But your father did sire you."

"But, my father was banished and had no claim on my families lands," Saphira argued.

"Yes, that is true. Your father would have no claim on the land, but you do," Mayr said.

"What do you mean?"

"The sins of the father are not passed on to the children," Mayr said. "You are the only heir to the family's lands and estates. That would make you very wealthy indeed! Anyone would marry you for lands you possess."

That was the wrong thing to say, and Mayr unconsciously upset Saphira.

'He only wants me for my land!' Saphira thought hotly. 'Well, he won't get my family's land!'

"Thank you, Mayr," Saphira said getting up to leave.

"You're welcome, my Lady," Mayr said bowing.

Saphira made her way to the room she had been staying in. She was fuming, and unfortunitely, she didn't always think straight when she was angry. It was near dusk and all the servants were busy preparing the evening meal.

Saphira quickly dressed in the clothes she had come through the well in, and belted her sword to her side. She crept out of the house and through the garden silently.

* * *

"Where is Saphira?" Sesshoumaru asked as he sat down for dinner.

"She was in the library, my Lord," Rin answered pouring him a glass of wine.

"Well, send someone to fetch her!" Sesshoumaru commanded. He had gotten used to her presence, and missed her sorely.

He drank his wine slowly, enjoying the taste, when he noticed Mayr standing guilty in the doorway.

"Are you going to tell me what you've done, Mayr? Or are you going to stand there all night?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Mayr walked into the room, his head was still bowed. "I have made a grievous error, my Lord."

Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrows at this. "Continue."

"I unconciously insintuated that you..." Mayr stopped, afraid to go on.

Sesshoumaru growled.

"That you only wanted to marry Mistress Saphira for her land and wealth," Mayr choked.

"WHAT!" Sesshoumaru roared. "She has no land!"

"Oh, but she does, my Lord!" Mayr said earnestly. "She is the heir to the eastern lands of Ryuu!"

"Those lands have been occupied by Saibairyuukotsusei!" Sesshoumaru yelled.

"Yes, but they are not his lands, they belong to the rightful heir. Since Doragon was banished, the next in line would inherit it," Mayr said. "They are Saphira's lands."

"Oh no," Sesshoumaru breathed.

"Sesshoumaru! She's gone!" Rin yelled running into the room.

"Oh, no"

* * *

Once Saphira had gotten over the wall of the garden, she transformed into her dragon form. Within a few beats of her wings she was in the air and flying over Sesshoumaru's castle, she let a roar tear from her jaws and flew into the sunset.

She flew for several miles, until she was well away from Sesshoumaru castle, then landed and reverted into human form. She wanted to accomplish one of the many reasons she had come into the past. She wanted to find her father, but she didn't know where to find him.

"Have you lost something, lovey?" Came a familiar voice from the shadows.

"Oh, no."


	10. The Rescue

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own its characters. I do own the ideas of this story and the characters I have created for this story (i.e. Saphira). Please respect patent laws. Comments and reviews are appreciated.**

**Chapter 10: The Rescue**

Inuyasha finally caught a scent of what he been looking for. It had taken him weeks to track down the dragon exile.

Inuyasha hopped down from the tree he was in. "Doragon!"

The man sitting by the fire did nothing to acknowledge Inuyasha's presence. His red hair matched Saphira's, but his eyes were a lighter shade of blue.

Inuyasha growled in anger.

"What do you want, dog-demon?" Came the man's lazy voice.

"I want to ask you about someone I know," Inuyasha said keeping his distance from the dragon.

"I wouldn't know anyone that has your acquaintance," the dragon said.

Inuyasha laughed. "Oh, I'm sure you do! Her name is Kagome."

"Kagome," the dragon muttered. "She's gone."

Inuyasha leaned against a tree. "Yes, she went back to where she came from thirty years ago. But, her daughter stumbles upon my brother andme while in the forest."

"She had a kid!" The dragon exclaimed jumping up.

"Apparently, it's your kid too," Inuyasha said casually.

"My kid? I don't have any kids, and I didn't mate with that girl either!" Doragon yelled.

"You haven't yet, but you will," Inuyasha said. "About five hundred years from now."

"What?" Doragon said.

"If you come with me, I'll explain everything," Inuyasha said.

"Okay, first where are you going to take me? And second, how do I know I trust you, dog-demon?" Doragon asked.

Inuyasha smiled. "We're going to see your daughter, and you have my word on Kagome's name that you will come to no harm."

Doragon smiled. "Okay."

They made their way quickly back to the western lands only to meet Sesshoumaru at the boundary.

"What is it?" Inuyasha asked immediately sensing his brother's anxiety.

"She is gone," Sesshoumaru said. "I believe that Saibairyuukotsusei has captured her."

"Are you sure?" Inuyasha breathed.

"Yes, he was sighted a few miles away from the boundary," Sesshoumaru said then noticed Doragon. "Doragon?"

"Yes," the dragon said. "What has happened to my daughter? And what about that scum Saibairyuukotsusei?"

"It is my belief that Saibairyuukotsusei wants to force Saphira into mating him," Sesshoumaru said grimly.

"That bastard!" Doragon cursed. "Why has he taken her?"

Sesshoumaru nodded to the east. "He is occupying the lands that once belonged to your family."

"What do you once? They have always belonged to my family!" Doragon growled. "My daughter is the heir to those lands!"

"We must hurry!" Inuyasha said, and with that they all hurried off.

* * *

Saphira fought him the entire way, but she was still weak. 

"Come on, lovey," he said dragging her off.

He had taken her into the eastern lands, the lands of her people. He had taken her fang, the one her father had given her. He also took her armor, it was made from the scales of her father's hide and had been a coming of age gift.

When they arrived ata small castle, he threw her into a dungeon.

"Don't even think about trying to transform, lovey," he laughed evilly. "There are wards surrounding this cell."

She growled and snapped at him, but he pushed her in closing and locking the door. Her roar of frustration shook the walls of the cell. She fell into a heap on the floor, she had been feeling odd ever since she had entered into these lands. Her forehead burned, and her stomach was queasy. There was a pale of dirty water in the corner.

She looked into the pale and gasped in surprise. On her forehead was the shape of a crescent moon. It was very much like Sesshoumaru's except hers was facing the right side of her body and it was yellow.

"What does this mean?" She asked surprised.

"It means," croaked a voice from a dark corner of the cell, "that you are the princess of the eastern lands."

Saphira looked into the corner as a pile of dirty clothes began moving around. An old woman finally emerged from the pile covered in filth.

"Who are you?" Saphira asked curiously.

"The real question is, deary, who are you?" The old woman asked. She slowly made her way over to Saphira and place a dirty thumb on Saphira's half moon. "You are the legitimate heir."

"My name is Saphira," Saphira said.

"Who was your father, halfling," the woman asked taking her thumb away from Saphira's head.

"Doragon."

"No...Doragon? No...can't be," the old woman muttered returning to her corner. "Who was your mother?"

Saphira hesitated, but only for a moment. "A priestess named Kagome."

"Kagome...Kagome..." the old woman muttered. "Kagome of the Bone Eater's Well?"

"Yes," Saphira said surprised.

"You are not of this era are you, child?" The old woman asked.

"Who are you?" Saphira asked suddenly suspicious.

The old woman cackled. "I knew your mother, when she came here from the well. My name is Kaede."

"Kaede...?" Saphira wondered. "Kikyou's sister?"

"One and the same, child," the woman cackled.

"You must be a hundred years old!" Saphira said in amazement.

"I'm only 90!" The old woman huffed. "How have you come to be? You're mother disappeared thirty years ago, and I know that Doragon has yet to mate."

"It's a long story," Saphira said.

"You have the markings of Lord Sesshoumaru," Kaede observed. "They are the markings of an inuyoukai, why do have them?"

"We are betrothed," Saphira said simply.

"Well, that explains why Saibairyuukotsusei has kidnapped you," Kaede sighed.

"Why is that?"

"Are you so blind, child?" Kaede asked. "He kidnapped you before you could mate Sesshoumaru. If he wants to, he could mate you here and now before Sesshoumaru has rescued you. Then the Eastern lands will be his."

"But I don't want to mate Saibairyuukotsusei or Sesshoumaru!" Saphira wailed reminded Kaede of Kagome.

"If Saibairyuukotsusei marks you before Sesshoumaru, you will belong to him," Kaede said simply.

"But he can't take me! I'm free!" Saphira growled her fear quickly turning to anger.

"You must have been raised in your mother's culture, she had the same opinions," Kaede said. "All you can do is fight him."

"I am still weak from our last encounter," Saphira said sadly.

"Child, can't you feel the power in your veins?" Kaede asked. "You are truly Kagome's daughter, I can sense your miko powers."

"My purifying powers?"

"Not just those, but also the ability to heal!" Kaede said. "Find the power within yourself and heal! I will lend you my strength!"

Saphira began to feel very warm as she started to concentrate her power.

It was many hours before someone came back down to the dungeons.

"Why did Lord Saibairyuukotsusei wait so long before marking the halfling?" Came the voice of a lesser youkai.

"He wants her to waste her energy trying to break free from the cell so he can easily mark her," another voice chuckled.

Their voices broke Kaede and Saphira's concentration.

"He's going to fight you now," Kaede whispered. "Remember that you have your mother's power! They are your only chance!"

"Hey halfling!" Shouted one of the youkai. "Saibairyuukotsusei wants to make you his mate now!"

Saphira growled quietly, but she had to keep up the appearance of looking weak and tired. She didn't fight as they dragged her out of the cell, through the castle and into a court yard.

It was obviously used for training because there were weapons leaning against the walls of the court yard.

"Ah, so nice of you to join us, lovey," came Saibairyuukotsusei's voice. He was surrounded by many lesser youkai.

The youkai that had brought Saphira from her cell threw her at Saibairyuukotsusei's feet.

"Since I am an honorable dragon," Saibairyuukotsusei said earning laughter from everyone there. "I will battle with you instead of marking you by force. If I win, you're my mate and if you win, I will leave this place."

Saphira growled in reply and with that the battle began.

* * *

"He's going to mark her!" Inuyasha yelled as Doragon led them closer to castle that Saibairyuukotsusei was occupying. 

"I am aware of that, little brother," came Sesshoumaru's irritated voice. He knew that Saibairyuukotsusei would mark Saphira so that her lands would belong to him.

"You're going to have to do it before he does!" Came Inuyasha's voice again.

Sesshoumaru simply growled in reply. He knew he would have to mark Saphira before Saibairyuukotsusei, but he wanted to earn that right. He didn't want to do it by force, he wanted Saphira to submit to him, and he wanted her to want him to mark her.

"Sesshoumaru!" Came Doragon's voice from ahead of them. "We will be there in a few moments!"

They could hear a loud cheer go up before they reached the castle, and a loud dragon roar. The dragon who had roared had to have been Saibairyuukotsusei because Saphira's voice was higher, like a cat. And sounded like clothes being ripped apart.

Then, Saphira's roar ripped through the air.

"Sesshoumaru! Go!" Doragon yelled.

Sesshoumaru transformed and passed them into the castle. What he saw when he jumped into the court yard enraged him.

Saibairyuukotsusei had Saphira pinned against the ground and was about the bite into her neck. Sesshoumaru rushed to them before Saibairyuukotsusei could mark Saphira and threw him off her. He noticed that on her forehead was the shape of a crescent moon.

He quickly bit into her shoulder, her voice ripped the into air. Suddenly, Sesshoumaru felt a sharp pain his own shoulder. He looked to see Saphira biting into his shoulder marking him as hers.


	11. Kagome's Decision

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own its characters. I do own the ideas of this story and the characters I have created for this story (i.e. Saphira). Please respect patent laws. Comments and reviews are appreciated.**

**Chapter 11: Kagome's Decision**

"Are you sure you want to do this sweetie?" Kagome's mother asked. She was old, in her eighties. Kagome wasn't young herself, she was nearly forty four years old.

"I'm not getting any younger, Mom," Kagome said taking a deep breath. She looked around the shrine trying to take in every bit that she could. "I won't be coming back."

"I know, dear," her mother said patting her arm. "I know you're worried about baby Saphira."

Kagome closed her eyes at the mention of her only child. She rubbed her unmarked neck and opened her eyes again.

"I'm sure she's fine, Mom," Kagome said carefully. "I was younger when I went through the well."

"I know."

"Are you leaving, Kagome?" Asked Souta walking up to them. He didn't live at the shrine, but lived in his own apartment with his wife and children.

"Yes."

Souta hugged her. "You have to find it in your heart to forgive him, Sis. Men will always be men. Trust me, I know from experience."

Kagome smiled at her little brother. "I'll tell Inuyasha you said hi."

"Thanks, Sis," Souta smiled giving her another hug. "Give my niece a kiss for me."

"And for me," said their mother. "Tell her we love her."

"I will," Kagome opened the door to the well house. She looked back one last time at her family before she jumped into the well.

* * *

Saphira was awake, but didn't want to open her eyes. She felt like she had been out clubbing and drinking all night. She had horrible headache. She also had the feeling that she had done something she would regret. She rolled over and into something solid.

"What the fu-" she began then stopped when she realized who was in the bed with her. Silver locks of hair only belonged to one person she knew. She craned her head to try and see his face, but cried out in pain. "Owwwieeeeee!"

Evidently her moving around and noise woke up her bedmate.

"What is it?" Came Sesshoumaru's sleepy voice.

Saphira sniffled. "I got wasted, didn't I?"

Sesshoumaru blinked several times not understanding what she meant.

Saphira sighed. "Why are you in my bed?"

That got his attention. "Your bed? This is my bed! And as for why _you_ are in _my_ bed it is because you are mine."

He poked her bandaged neck. "See?"

"Hey! That hurts!" Saphira cried then noticed bandages on his neck as well. "Hey! It looks like you belong to somebody too! Hahaha!"

Sesshoumaru frowned. "It is not customary for the male to be marked."

"Well, somebody marked you!" Saphira giggled.

"Not somebody," Sesshoumaru growled. "It was you!"

Saphira immediately stopped laughing and started choking. "What?"

"I had to mark you before Saibairyuukotsusei could," Sesshoumaru explained sitting up. "And you marked me in the process."

"Hey! You can't be naked in my bed!" Saphira exclaimed when she saw Sesshoumaru's bare chest.

"I am not naked," he said as he got out of the bed. It was true, he had pants on or what looked like pants anyways.

"Am I naked?" Saphira asked lifting up the sheets to take a peek.

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes. "You don't think I would mate you while you were unconscious do you?"

Saphira looked at him suspiciously. "I don't know...you are a dog demon..."

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes in exasperation. "We will be having the ceremony this evening."

"The ceremony for what?" Saphira asked getting out of bed as well, she had clothes on too.

"For our mating."

"Wait a minute!" Saphira exclaimed. "I never agreed to mate you! I don't even love you!"

This stung Sesshoumaru's feelings.

"So, you mark me with your purifying fangs knowing that the scar will never fade, and you don't want to to mate me?" Sesshoumaru lashed out at her. "You don't even love me?"

"Well," Saphira said feeling bad about what she had said. "I like you a lot. And I can't remember 'marking' you so it doesn't count!"

Before Sesshoumaru could reply there was a knock on the door.

"What is it?" He growled.

Doragon opened the door. "I was just..."

He was cut off when Saphira knocked him over. "Father!"

As Doragon got up he looked over his future daughter. She was beautiful, she had his hair and eyes. But those eyes were quickly filling up with tears.

"Saphira?" He asked uncertainly.

"Why..." she began. "Why did you have to die, Dad!"

Doragon looked up at Sesshoumaru puzzled. Sesshoumaru just shook his head.

Doragon hugged Saphira tightly. "I'm sure I didn't do it on purpose."

Saphira laughed at this. "You were always funny, Dad."

"It's good to hear that I won't change that much," he sighed with relief.

"Well, if you'll excuse me I have to go prepare the castle for our ceremony," Sesshoumaru said nodding his head at Saphira.

"But..." she began.

"Saphira," Doragon said. "You've marked him as yours, and he's marked you. You are betrothed, and even if you don't love him now you will with time."

Saphira looked at her father. He was centuries younger but she knew that he would not change with time.

"Make me proud, sweetie," he said kissing her forehead.

"Okay," she whispered glad that her father would be there for her.

Doragon murmured something about the ceremony and family tradition and left Saphira alone.

"My Lady?" Came Rin's voice from the doorway, she came in at Saphira's nod. "Did you want to dine here? Or would you like to dine downstairs?"

"She'll dine downstairs with me," Inuyasha said coming into the room. Rin nodded and quickly left the room.

"Thank you," whispered Saphira.

"Keh! For what!" Inuyasha scoffed.

"For finding my father," Saphira said looking at him with bright blue eyes. "For bringing him to see me."

Inuyasha looked at her with surprise, then said, "Well, if all I had to do was find my father to see him, I would."

"Is it true about what happened to Inutaisho?" Saphira asked quietly.

Inuyasha cringed with old human emotion. "He died saving my mother and me, if that's what you want to know."

"So, Ryuukotsusei didn't kill your father?" Saphira asked.

"No, he weakened my father so badly that a human was able to finish the job," Inuyasha said.

Saphira turned to the window as a breeze came through the room. A familiar scent teased her nose.

"Mom...?" Saphira whispered. "Inuyasha!"

She turned but he was gone.

"Inuyasha!"

* * *

Inuyasha ran through the forest as fast as his legs would take him. He had thought he had smelled Kagome, but it wasn't until Saphira had smelled it that he thought it might be true. Kagome had finally come back through the well.

He was at the clearing within a matter of minutes, his demon speed making him lightning fast.

There she was standing by the God tree where they had first met.

"Inuyasha..." she whispered, the first thing he noticed was that her shoulders were thrown back with defiance. Her hips had the swell that came with bearing a child. Her eyes were as bright as ever, and her hair was longer. Her face was older and wiser, but still beautiful.

"Kagome."

She looked up to see him, and smiled. "It's been a long time, Inuyasha."

The last thing he noticed was that her neck bared no markings. She was unclaimed.

He raced to her and hugged her tightly. "I'm so...so sorry, Kagome."

She patted his back, just like she patted Saphira's when she had been small. "It's okay."

"Why...why did you come back?" Inuyasha asked blinking back the tears.

"You are here, Inuyasha, and so is my daughter," Kagome answered quietly.

"Why did you mate with him, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked unable to hide the pain in his voice.

"I didn't mate with Doragon, Inuyasha," Kagome said gently.

"Then how did Saphira come to be!" Inuyasha demanded.

"In my time there are many ways to conceive a child," Kagome said. "And some of them do not require the parents to have intercourse."

"How is that possible?" Inuyasha asked in amazement.

"There are people called 'doctors' and they are considered healers in my time," Kagome explained. "It is possible for them to take my egg out of my body and mix it with a man's seed. Once the child has developed, they put it back inside my body to grow."

"Is that how Saphira was conceived?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yes."

"So, did you love Doragon?" Inuyasha asked.

"I love you, Inuyasha," came the simple answer.

"Then why did you let the doctors mix your egg with Doragon's seed?" Inuyasha asked. "Why have the child of a man you do not love?"

Kagome sighed. "Doragon loved Saphira and wanted her to exist. He knew that she would come back to the past. He found me and convinced me that I should give birth to her. He was right, Saphira had the right to exist."

Inuyasha only looked at Kagome with his mouth open and all his love showing in his eyes. "Kagome...I..."

Kagome smiled, shaking her head and putting a finger on Inuyasha's lips. "I forgave you a long time ago, Inuyasha. All I want now is to mate you, if you'll have me...?"

Inuyasha laughed. "If I'll have you? God, Kagome! I didn't even begin to hope that you would ever say those words to me!"

* * *

"Sesshoumaru!" Doragon called catching up to the inuyoukai.

"Yes?" Sesshoumaru paused.

"I have a small favor to ask of you," Doragon began.

"Whatever it is, it will be granted," Sesshoumaru said, he was grateful that Doragon had helped to rescue Saphira.

"Well, hear me out before you agree," Doragon smiled. "The place where my family came from is a long way from here. We brought with us certain traditions that we carry out during special ceremonies. There is a marriage tradition that family practices, and I would like it to be in my daughter's ceremony if you agree."

Sesshoumaru thought for a moment. Marriage traditions for youkai were few and far between, but Saphira was not a youkai. Dragons may have different traditions.

Sesshoumaru nodded for Doragon to continue.

"It is a blood oath," Doragon said, but when Sesshoumaru frowned he continued. "A promise between the bride and groom, a promise of blood."

Sesshoumaru nodded, he knew about oaths that lords made to their kings, but an oath between bride and groom? He would have to have Doragon explain further.

"Walk with me and tell me about this oath," Sesshoumaru said.

* * *

"My Lady?" Came Rin's voice into the room. "I brought you lunch."

Saphira smiled and gestured for Rin to put the food on the small table by the window.

Rin set the food down, but hesitated before leaving. "My Lady...?"

"Yes, Rin?" Saphira said.

"Well, my Lady, have decided what your vows will be?" Rin asked.

"Huh?"

"It is tradition that the bride and the groom make their own vows to one another," Rin explained. "I guess it's a good thing I mentioned it."

"Yes, it is, Rin," came a familiar voice from the doorway.

"Mom!" Saphira said running to the door.


	12. Sesshoumaru and Saphira

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own its characters. I do own the ideas of this story and the characters I have created for this story (i.e. Saphira). I also do not own the Druid vows.Please respect patent laws. Comments and reviews are appreciated.**

C**hapter 12: Saphira and Sesshoumaru**

Kagome hugged Saphira tightly, never wanting to let her go again.

"Mom, I can't believe you're here!" Saphira cried with happiness. "I met Dad!"

"I know sweetheart," Kagome said.

"How?"

"There's something I have to tell you, Saphira, about your father and me," Kagome began. "We were never mated, Saphira. You're father found me when I was in America and asked me to have a child with him. At first I refused, I had no idea who he was or what he wanted from me. But then, he told me about this wonderful person that he had known in the Feudal Era. I remembered that I had meant him there once, before I had left for the future. He told me about you, Saphira, about what a wonderful person you were. Eventually, he convinced me to have you, but we never mated. You were conceived in a tube and then you put back inside my uterus. And that's how you came into the world."

Saphira raised her eyebrows at this. "I was a test tube baby?"

"Yes."

Saphira shrugged. "I guess there are worse ways to come into the world. So, wait a minute! You and Dad were never married! I'm an illegitimate child!"

"No, you're not," came Doragon's voice. "With dragons its different, Saphira."

"Doragon," Kagome nodded at him.

"So, how did I talk you into it?" Doragon asked smiling.

"You mentioned something about her right to exist," Kagome smiled.

"I'll have to remember that," Doragon said.

"Mom, are you going to mate with Inuyasha?" Saphira asked surprising Kagome into a blush.

"Yes, she is," Inuyasha said coming up behind Kagome.

"So, have you decided on your vows?" Asked Kagome.

"Well, yes, I have," Saphira said. "Remember when Dad took me to see the lands of our ancestors?"

"Yes, I remember," Kagome said.

"While I was there I remember studying about a group of women called Druids," Saphira said. "I read some of their wedding vows, and I think I know one that would be very appropriate."

"I remember the Druids," Doragon said. "They're alive now, you know?"

"I think they are alive then too, Dad," Saphira laughed.

"Okay everybody, we need to start preparing for the ceremony," Sesshoumaru said coming into the room.

"Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha said. "Kagome has come."

"Good, she can help get Saphira ready," Sesshoumaru said. "Doragon, Inuyasha, you will have to come with me to get dressed."

Kagome had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing.

* * *

The sun was just beginning to set when the ceremony began. The light from the sun made Saphira's hair look more golden than red. 

Doragon patted Saphira's hand lovingly while they slowly walked down the aisle. Most of the seats were taken up by Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha's servants. Sesshoumaru had decided to have the ceremony outside by a beautifully decorated fountain. Pink, purple and white orchids surrounded the fountain.

Doragon squeezed Saphira's hand before handing it to Sesshoumaru. Saphira smiled at him through her veil.

Oddly enough a toad youkai was conducting the ceremony.

"Love is long suffering and kind. Love does not get jealous, does not brag or get puffed up, does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests, does not become provoked. It does not keep account of injury. It does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. Now, however, there remain faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of all these is love. For all these reasons a man will leave his father and his mother and he will stick to his wife, and they will become one flesh. Not knowing what is before you, you take each other for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death. You now, voluntarily and completely surrender your individual lives in the interest of the wider and deeper life, which you are to share. Henceforth, you will belong to each other; you will be one in mind, one in heart, and one in affection," Jaken said shrilly.

"With this ring, I thee wed. For better or worse. For richer or poorer. In sickness and in health. To have thee. Hold thee. Love thee. And honor thee. I do take thee until death do us part," Sesshoumaru said slipping a golden band on her finger.

Saphira took a deep breath and began her own vows. "You cannot posses me for I belong to myself. But while we both wish it, I give you that which is mine to give. You can not command me for I am a free person. But I shall serve you in those ways you require and the honeycomb will taste sweeter coming from my hand.

"I pledge to you that yours will be the name that I cry aloud in the night, and the eyes into which I smile in the morning. I pledge to you the first bite from my meat and the first drink from my cup. I pledge to you my living and my dying, each equally in your care, I shall be a shield for your back and you for mine. I shall not slander you, nor you me. I shall honour you above all others, and when we quarrel, we shall do so in private and tell no strangers our grievances.

"This is my wedding vow to you. This is a marriage of equals.

"These promises I make by the sun and moon, by fire and water, by day and night, by land and sea. With these vows I swear, by the gods that my people swear by, to be full partners, each to the other."

With that Saphira slipped a ring onto Sesshoumaru's finger ignoring his surprised look.

Jaken continued, ignoring the couple, "These rings are golden circlets, and from time indefinite, have been symbols of wedded love. Made from the purest of gold to symbolize pure love; they are unbroken circles symbolizing unending love. May they ever be to you tokens of endless love. Forasmuch then as you have consented together in holy wedlock and have pledged your undying devotion and loyalty to each other, I now pronounce you mates for life."

But before Sesshoumaru lifted Saphira's veil to kiss her, her father stepped up pushing Jaken out of the way. He handed Sesshoumaru a small blue blade that Saphira did not recognize. With the blade Sesshoumaru quickly cut his own and then Saphira's hand.

She hissed in pain. Doragon quickly bound their bleeding hands together with a silk shaw.

"Ye are Blood of my Blood, and Bone of my Bone. I give ye my Body, that we Two might be One. I give ye my Spirit, 'til our Life shall be Done," Sesshoumaru said fiercely.

"Ye are Blood of my Blood, and Bone of my Bone. I give ye my Body, that we Two might be One. I give ye my Spirit, 'til our Life shall be Done," Saphira repeated with the same intensity.

"Da mi basia mille, diende centum, dein mille altera, dein secunda centum," Doragon said.

Sesshoumaru lifted Saphira's veil and kissed her.

"What did he say?" Inuyasha whispered to a tearful Kagome.

"Then let amorous kisses dwell, on our lips, begin and tell, a thousand and a Hundred score, a Hundred, and a Thousand more," Kagome said tearfully.

The rest of the evening was spent eating, laughing and dancing. No one noticed the newlyweds sneaking up the stairs.

"Your vows were...appropriate," Sesshoumaru said as he closed the door.

"Yours were short and sweet," Saphira said smiling, then stopped when she saw he was staring at her. "Sesshoumaru?"

He sighed and turned away. "I would not have forced you into this marriage tonight if your life did not depend on it."

Saphira blinked blankly. "Who said that you forced me?"

"I thought that you did not desire me as a mate," Sesshoumaru said simply.

"I never said that," Saphira said softly. "I said that I don't love you. Marrying someone for anything other than love bothers me. But, I hope that with time we will love each other."

"Then, I will only ask one thing of you," Sesshoumaru said turning to look at her.

"Yes?"

"I want you to always be honest with me," he said pulling her into his lap. "I know this mating may not have love, but we do have honesty. And...I want to keep that integrity in our mating...always."

She smiled at him, sadly, "My mother and Inuyasha are going to mate."

Sesshoumaru furrowed his brows. "I thought your mother mated Doragon."

Saphira felt her throat start to dry up and she knew the tears were coming. "No, they never mated...in the future there are ways to have children without ever mating. That's how I came to be. My mom and dad...they never really loved each other."

Sesshoumaru saw the tears slid down her cheeks, heleaned closer to wipe them away.

"But, they both love you," he said quietly. "Isn't that what's important?"

"I guess so," she murmured.

"Inuyasha loves your mother," Sesshoumaru said holding her. "Don't they deserve happiness?"

Then something clicked in Saphira's brain. "She wasn't afraid of you."

"What?"

"Whenever my mother used to talk about you," Saphira began. "I could always smell the fear on her. It-it made me angry because I knew she had nothing to fear...especially from you. But, now that I know that she knew I would come back, I realize that her fear was for me. She was afraid of what would happen to me, and what you would do to me."

Sesshoumaru smiled. "Yes, what fear would she have for a monster from her past."

"You're not a monster!" Saphira cried angrily.

"I was when your mother was here," Sesshoumaru admitted. "When Inuyasha came to live with me, things changed for the better. Even though he was fully transformed, he retained his human qualities, and they rubbed off."

Saphira smiled and cuddled into his chest. "Are you upset about having to mate me?"

"Why would I be upset?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Well," Saphira said, shyly burying her head into his chest. "Didn't you have someone in mind to mate before I came along?"

"No."

"Really?" Saphira asked happily.

"What did I say earlier about honesty?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Oh, yeah, sorry."

* * *

"Do you think she'll be happy?" Kagome asked. 

She and Inuyasha were sitting under the cherry blossom tree in the castle's garden.

"Sesshoumaru has changed over the years," Inuyasha said.

Kagome sighed quietly beside him. "Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha looked down at her. She hadn't really changed all that much over the years. She had proved to be one of those people that just got more beautiful with time. That was something Saphira would never have to worry about.

"Do you still love me, Inuyasha?" She asked.

He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. "I will never stop loving you, Kagome."

* * *

Sesshoumaru shifted Saphira's weight from one leg to the other. She had fallen asleep in his lap looking at the night sky. He gently shook her to wake her up. 

"Saphira."

"Hmmm?"

"It's time."

"Okay," she sighed happily. She knew that they would have to consummate their mating. "Sesshoumaru?"

"Hmmm?"

"Uh, I've...ne-never," she stuttered.

"It's okay."

She sighed in relief, but was surprised when suddenly Sesshoumaru grabbed her and held her tightly.

Sesshoumaru was surprised when she pressed her lips against his. This was a human gesture that he had never experienced before. It was strangely intimate and innocent at the same time. He closed his eyes as she deepened the kiss.

* * *

As Sesshoumaru lay in the bed, he thought about his mate, sleeping soundly next to him. He touched his lips, still feeling her hungry mouth on them. 

She had given herself completely up to him. Her wedding vows echoed back to him in his mind.

"..._the honeycomb will taste sweeter coming from my hand_..." she had said. He looked down at her soft red lips that did indeed taste like honey. He had never known that under her hard, outer shell was a soft, caring person. He had lucked out indeed.

Saphira sighed in her sleep turning toward Sesshoumaru. He studied her face imprinting on his memory.

"Mom..." Saphira murmured in her sleep, but Sesshoumaru did not understand the strange language she was speaking in.

'Japanese must not be her native tongue,' he thought as she continued to murmur in her sleep. He got out of the bed, restless. He dressed in a bath robe and left the room quietly. He wandered down the hallway and into the library to find it already occupied.

"Kagome," he murmured softly to let her know he was there.

"Lord Sesshoumaru," she said nodding her head with respect.

"You need not call me Lord, Lady Kagome," Sesshoumaru said quietly. "Your station as Saphira's mother is much higher than my own."

"That is very kind of you, my Lord," Kagome said. "But, I am an old woman that is trapped in her own bad habits."

"You only look half your age," Sesshoumaru commented. "Inuyasha is fortunate to have you."

Kagome looked back down at the book she had been reading. Sesshoumaru recognized it as the one containing the history of Saphira's family.

Kagome, catching his eye, smiled. "I never knew that my daughter had such a rich history. She came from a line of great warriors."

"Japanese is not her native tongue, is it?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Kagome smiled again. "Has she been talking in her sleep?"

Sesshoumaru nodded.

"English is her native tongue," Kagome said. "I was in another country as an exchange student when I had her."

"Doragon was banished from his family for loving a human," Sesshoumaru began. "Was that human you?"

Kagome blushed slightly. "No, I'm afraid not. I've only had eyes for Inuyasha."

"Yet, you have another man's child..."

Kagome narrowed her eyes. "I don't have to explain myself to you, Lord Sesshoumaru. It is true that I agreed have to Saphira, but she had the right, the right, Sesshoumaru, to live. No child's existence should be destroyed like that. My heart has always belonged to Inuyasha, but he betrayed me many years ago, but I have forgiven him. Saphira was not a love child, that's true, but she was planned on. I don't know what human Doragon fell in love with, he didn't tell me many things. He didn't even tell me what would happen to her after she went back through the well. He didn't even tell me that I would come back through the well, or that she would marry you. All I can tell is that I raised her the best I could. My whole family and I love Saphira with all our hearts and wouldn't give her up for anything. So, if you're asking me if I would have done things differently, the answer is no."

Sesshoumaru only smiled at her. "Do not be offended Lady Kagome. My brother has mourned for you for a very long time."

"Mama?" Came a sleepy voice from the door.

They both turned to Saphira standing there in a thin night shirt.

"Come here, baby," Kagome said, she was sitting on a couch. Saphira walked over to where Kagome and sat down snuggling up next to her.

"I missed you, Mom," Saphira said. "Sorry if I worried you."

"It's okay, Saphy," Kagome said patting her daughter's head. "Souta and Grandma said that they love you."

"Oh? I love them too," Saphira said sleepily leaning on Kagome's shoulder.

"Go back to bed, baby, we can talk in the morning," Kagome said kissing her daughter's forehead.

"Mama?"

"Yes, baby?"

"When are you and Inuyasha getting married?" Saphira asked.

"I don't know, baby."


	13. Saphira's Revenge

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own its characters. I do own the ideas of this story and the characters I have created for this story (i.e. Saphira). Please respect patent laws. Comments and reviews are appreciated**

**Chapter 13: Saphira's Revenge**

"That jackass stole my katana!" Saphira said angrily.

"We are not going to lay a siege on him until we are properly prepared," Sesshoumaru said calmly.

"That katana is made from my father's fang! He stole my armor too!" Saphira said fiercely.

"I understand," Sesshoumaru said.

"No you don't! How would you like it if someone stole your sword?"

"I would not like it, I would probably hunt them down and kill them," Sesshoumaru said.

"Then you know how I feel!" She growled.

"Saphira! You must be patient!" Called Doragon. "Think of all the ways you are going torture him."

"I don't want to torture him," Saphira growled. "I want to put my boot in his face and cut his throat with my stolen blade."

She eventually wandered away from the men to find her mother. Her sensitive hearing picked up voices complimenting her mother.

"Well, done, Lady Kagome!" Came a male's voice. A soldier more than likely.

Saphira found her mother and several archers standing about a hundred yards away from some targets. Her mother's arrow was still quivering in the middle of the target.

"Ah, my Lady! Can you shoot as well as your mother?" Asked a soldier catching sight of Saphira.

"There's only one way to find out," Saphira said taking the bow and arrow that the soldier offered her.

Kagome watched her daughter carefully. She knew that Saphira had most of her father's traits. The only trait Kagome had seen in Saphira that belonged to her was stubbornness.

Saphira notched the arrow and took aim carefully. She paused as a familiarity passed through her body. Then she felt a warming sensation in her hands and arms, and a low hum was in her ears.

She let the arrow fly. It flew straight and true, making the target fly about several yards.

"Wow!" The soldiers shouted and ran to see if she had hit the center.

Saphira looked over where her mother was standing only to see her wearing a small smile of satisfaction.

"Mom, I've never shot an arrow in my life," Saphira breathed happy to please her mother.

"Yes, you have," Kagome said still smiling. "I taught you before your father took you away."

"Wait, Mom! What do you mean 'took me away'?" Saphira asked as her mother turned to walk away.

Kagome turned back around regarding her daughter carefully. "He took you when you were about five. I didn't see you again except for very short visits."

Saphira remembered that she had grown up traveling around the world with her father. But, her memories of her mother's shrine were few and far between.

"But, why?" Saphira asked.

"He knew," Kagome said simply. "He knew that it was the only time you would have together."

With that Kagome turned and walked away.

Saphira then knew her father must have known about his death before it came. She closed her eyes at the painful memory. 'He died so that I would travel to the past and meet him, because if he hadn't I would never have existed,' she thought sadly. Her father's death had been necessary for her existence and that made her feel guilty.

"What is it?" Came a voice from behind her. She turned to see Sesshoumaru with a worried expression on his face.

She smiled at him sadly. "The things people do so that others will exist."

He furrowed his brows in confusion. "Your father?"

Saphira nodded. "He died before I came here through the well. If he hadn't died, I would have never come and thus never existed."

"He's here now, isn't that all that matters?" Sesshoumaru said trying to offer her comfort.

But, she rebuffed it. "It isn't the same. The Doragon now isn't Doragon my father. He won't be that person for another five hundred years."

She turned and walked away, bow and arrows still in hand.

"Milord, did you see Lady Saphira's archery?" Asked a soldier at his elbow.

"No, I didn't."

"She is very good, milord! She shoots with the power of a miko," the soldier said smiling. "Her mother said she taught her when milady was just a tot."

"Is that so?" Sesshoumaru said looking at Saphira's retreating figure thoughtfully. "That could be very helpful to our plans."

* * *

"Do you have a possession?" Came a crackled voice from the darkness.

"What?" Asked a male voice shifting uncomfortably.

"A possession, a thing that belongs to...the victim," the voice cackled.

"Oh! Yeah, I got something," the male smiled evilly pulling a sword from his slash.

The sword proved to be unique. It was a katana with a blue blade and a pearl handle.

"Ah, a dragon fang," the ancient voice crooned taking the blade. The dark priestess rose and spit into the cauldron. "Now, you spit."

"What?"

"Spit!"

The man spit into the cauldron of bubbling liquid. The old woman mumbled some ritual and dipped the blade of the sword in the cauldron. As she pulled the blade out of the cauldron the blade changed from blue to red.

"Did it work?" The male asked impatiently.

"The color changing is a good sign," the woman mumbled. "The owner of this sword will become cursed within three days. They will then turn on the ones that they love most and destroy them. After they have killed their loved ones, the curse will slowly eat away at their souls until they too die."

"Are there any cures?"

The old woman laughed. "None that I would tell you about! Now go!"

* * *

"When are we going to leave?" Saphira whined coming into Sesshoumaru's study. Both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru cringed at her whine.

"Do you think that there's a god?" Doragon asked cringing as well at the sound of his daughter's voice.

"I'll believe in anything just to her to shut up!" Inuyasha said.

"We'll be leaving in a few hours," Sesshoumaru said patiently, he could understand her eagerness to retrieve her sword.

"Well, when you're done can we talk?" Saphira asked, then when it looked like he was going to put her off she widen her eyes.

"Dammit," he said softly.

"Ha, she gets you with those puppy eyes!" Inuyasha snickered.

"Yes, Saphira," Sesshoumaru said not being able to resist looking into her eyes. He kicked Inuyasha's leg under the table.

"Hey!" Inuyasha growled.

Saphira wandered out of the room and eventually out of the castle. She wandered across a courtyard and into a quiet building that seemed to be forgotten.

As the door creaked open she could hear a piano playing. She walked in immediately realized it was a church of some sorts, or maybe a shrine.

She walked slowly up the aisle to a painting on the wall. The man in the painting looked like Sesshoumaru, but Saphira knew that it had to be Inutaisho. The inuyoukai had his hair up in a ponytail and she knew that Sesshoumaru always kept his hair down.

"That's my father," came Sesshoumaru's voice from behind her.

She didn't turn but continued to study the painting. "Inutaisho..."

He was surprised that she remembered.

"What is that music?" Saphira asked looking for the piano but finding none.

"It's an enchantment," Sesshoumaru explained.

"Hey Sesshoumaru?" She said turning to look up at him. "Do you believe in God?"

He had to keep still to keep himself from laughing, but he saw that she was serious. He took a deep breath. "I believe and fate and destiny, but no, not God."

Saphira frowned in disappointment. "Oh."

"Do you?" He asked grabbing her hand.

She looked down at her hand and then at him. "Who do you think controls fate and destiny?"

With that she yanked her hand free and was out of the shrine before he cloud blink. He slowly came out of the shrine.

"You told her you didn't believe in God, didn't you?" Came Kagome's voice.

Sesshoumaru turned and nodded at her. She was leaning on the side of the building.

"Bad move," she said.

"Why is that?" He asked.

"God is important to her," Kagome said softly. "Ever since her father died. I think it gives her comfort to know that he's taken care of."

"What about you?" Sesshoumaru asked before she walk away.

She looked up at him and smiled. "I believe that we make our own destiny."


	14. The Curse

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own its characters. I do own the ideas of this story and the characters I have created for this story (i.e. Saphira). Please respect patent laws. Comments and reviews are appreciated**

**Chapter 14: The Curse**

Saphira could handle a lot of things. Like her parents not really loving in each other and crap like that. The one thing that she couldn't handle was someone who didn't believe in God. After her father had died, she had clung to the fact that he would be okay. She had clung to the fact that God would take care of him. She was sure that God didn't differentiate between youkai and human, it was only the righteous and unrighteous and everyone got a chance to stand trial before that. She was in the garden where she had mourned for the family she would never have.

She looked down into the brook and smiled at the reflection.

"You didn't really want to talk to me about God, did you?" Sesshoumaru asked as he took her into his arms.

"Well, no," Saphira admitted, then looked into his golden eyes searching for something she knew had to be there. "Do you really not believe in God?"

He sighed, then looked her in the eyes. "I believe there's something that controls all this."

"Is it 'this Sesshoumaru'?" Saphira asked puffing out her chest and mimicking him perfectly.

He looked at her bemused by her imitation. She laughed at the look on his face.

Sesshoumaru just held her tightly, thinking about what she had said.

Suddenly, she was stiff and had stopped moving.

"Saphira?" He asked, shifting to look at her. She hopped up and stood away from him.

"Run," she said trembling for control, but she said it in her native tongue.

"What?" He asked trying to approach her.

She pulled away from him turning to face him. "Run."

He finally caught sight of her eyes, which were no longer blue but teeming red.

Finally, she choked out in Japanese. "RUN!"

Kagome ran into the garden feeling a change in her daughter's aura.

"Sesshoumaru, what's wrong?" Kagome said running up to him. "Oh, my God!"

"What is the meaning of this?" Sesshoumaru asked as Saphira began to tremble even more.

"Where's her sword?" Kagome demanded. "Where is it?"

"It was stolen..."Sesshoumaru trailed off.

"That sword is like Inuyasha's!" Kagome shrieked. "It helps her to control her dragon form!"

"That or she's been cursed with it," Sesshoumaru said.

Saphira roared at them and then charged.

"She's acting like Inuyasha did when he was still hanyou," Kagome whispered.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled grabbing her and jumping out of Saphira's way. "What's happened?"

"She's been cursed!" Sesshoumaru yelled grabbing a hold of her.

"Run," Saphira managed to get out.

'She's still conscious in there somewhere,' Sesshoumaru thought searching her eyes for any hint of humanity.

But, Saphira lost her inner battle and roared trying to bite Sesshoumaru's hand. He managed to deflect her fangs but not before she grabbed his sword, Toukijin. The sword glowed as it's demon essence entered her body.

_"Mom! Save me!"_ Saphira's voice cried inside Kagome's head.

"Inuyasha! She's fighting for control!" Kagome said.

"What?"

"She's trying to tell me something!" Kagome said trying to reconnect with her daughter's sane mind.

_"My sword, Mom! Please! I can't control it for long! You have to get my sword back and purify it! Purge the curse from the blade!" _Saphira's voice rang in Kagome's mind. _"Save me from the dark!"_

"We have to get her sword!" Kagome said. 'Hold on, Saphira!'

Inuyasha nodded as Kagome climbed onto his back. "Sesshoumaru! We have to retrieve her sword! Keep her occupied until then!"

"What!" Sesshoumaru called seeing them leave, but he was immediately distracted by Saphira's onslaught of attacks. She wielded his sword with ferocity screaming her battle cries.

"She's too strong!" Sesshoumaru said trying to deflect her attacks.

"What's going on?" Doragon yelled.

"Saphira's been cursed!" Sesshoumaru yelled back. Doragon joined Sesshoumaru to stop Saphira, but she proved too strong for both of them.

"She's too fast!" Doragon yelled barely avoiding her wild swings.

Saphira could feel it as the battle between her and her father and mate rages on. The curse was taking over her body and her soul was disappearing.

"DON'T LET ME DIE HERE!" Saphira screamed. "I CAN'T WAKE UP! WAKE ME UP!"

But her body was lost her and she no longer had control over it

"What is she talking about?" Doragon yelled as they dodged her attacks.

"She's lost control of her body!" Sesshoumaru yelled back.

Suddenly, the attacks stopped and Saphira stood there heaving. Then, she dropped Toukijin, her red eyes glaring at them and transformed.

She roared at them, her voice ripping through the air.

"We have to transform too!" Doragon shouted and Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement. They both transformed, Sesshoumaru becoming his dog form and Doragon into a red dragon. But, Saphira took to the air and flew in the direction Inuyasha and Kagome had gone in.

Sesshoumaru and Doragon were hard pressed to keep up with her.

* * *

"You old hag!" Saibairyuukotsusei yelled kicking the old woman. "You said she would kill her family and then herself! You lied!"

"Please, my Lord! She proved to be stronger than I predicted!" The old woman croaked. "She is fighting off the curse, but she will lose that battle!"

"Yes, well while she is losing that battle, she is heading this way!" Saibairyuukotsusei yelled.

"What?" The hag croaked. "She can't possibly have that much power! Quickly destroy her sword!"

"What will that do?"

"It will kill her!" The old hag spat.

"I don't think so," came another voice and within a flash the sword was out of Saibairyuukotsusei's hand.

"Wh-what!" He stuttered turning to see Kagome and Inuyasha with Saphira's sword. "Miko!"

"That's right," Kagome said releasing her arrow with enough power to put Kikyou to shame. It flew straight and true into his heart pinning him against the wall. He tried to transform but the arrow held him firmly. Kagome quickly purified her daughter's katana.

"You cannot destroy me this easily!" He roared in frustration, but surprisingly he was answered by another roar.

Saphira's voice ripped through the air as she landed and transformed back into her human form.

"Saphira!" Kagome called drawing her daughter's blood eyes to her. Kagome tossed the sword to Saphira, who caught it. Upon touching energy burned through her body eradicating the curse. Saphira was left with no energy and fell into the arms of Sesshoumaru.

"Don't...don't let go," Saphira whispered faintly.

"Never!" Sesshoumaru said hugging her to his body.

* * *

"Is she going to be okay?" Sesshoumaru asked coming into the room. Kagome was sitting next to the bed holding her daughter's hand tightly.

She looked up at Sesshoumaru tiredly. "I hope so."

"What can I do?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Kagome looked up at him sadly. "Pray."

Sesshoumaru looked at her and left the room. He soon found himself in his father's shrine on his knees.

"Father," he began softly. "I now know what you felt towards Mother and towards Inuyasha's mother. Please, forgive me for my arrogance. Help her, Father, she...she-she is all that I have!"

* * *

"_I'm dying. Praying. Bleeding. SCRAMING._

_"Am I too lost to be saved?"_

She could feel nothing, only coldness seeped into her soul. Then pain seared her body.

_"My wounds...cry for the grave."_

Her soul ached for something.

_"My soul cries for deliverance."_

But, she remembered something. Something warm._ Sesshoumaru. _

_"Will you be on the other side?_

_"Or will you forget me?"_

Pain once again seared her body.

_"I want to DIE!"_

* * *

"Reach out to her," Kagome said as she stood up.

Sesshoumaru only gave her a puzzled look.

"Give her something to live for," Kagome explained sadly. "Give her hope."

Kagome walked out of the room closing the door behind her.

_"Saphira?" _Sesshoumaru thought trying to reach out with his mind. He felt something nudge his mind.

_"Save me." _Her voice was weak in his head. _"Don't let me die here."_

_"How?" _He asked mentally.

_"I can't wake up!" _Her faint voice was desperate. _"Wake me up!"_

_"But how?" _He asked again but her presence was gone from his mind. He looked down at her seeing that her chest had stopped moving. "No...no, Saphira, no!"

_"Wake...me...up..." _her voice said faintly.

He hugged her to his body as the tears slid down his cheeks and onto her hair. "Saphira, please don't leave me."

Then, he felt something warm on his neck. He pulled her away from his body to look at her face.

Her brilliant blue eyes were looking into his golden orbs.

"Saphira?"

"I love you," she said softly.

He furrowed his brows, and then buried his head into her shoulder. "I love you too!"


	15. Changes

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own its characters. I do own the ideas of this story and the characters I have created for this story (i.e. Saphira). Please respect patent laws. Comments and reviews are appreciated**

**Chapter 15: Changes**

Inuyasha sniffed the air as he entered the room.

"What is it, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked nervously.

"She smells different," was all he said.

"Different how?" Kagome asked looking at her sleeping daughter.

"Like she's changed," Inuyasha said quietly. "Like she isn't human any more."

"Wh-what?" Kagome stuttered, she immediately reached out for Saphira's aura. Kagome saw what was different immediately. The pinkness in Saphira's violet aura was gone. The pink that represented her humanity.

"How...how did this happen?" Kagome sobbed.

"Mom?" Saphira said waking up. "Mom, what's wrong?"

She climbed out of bed and raced over to her mother, but her mother just cried harder.

Saphira looked at Inuyasha. "What's wrong with Mom?"

"Can't you feel the changes?" He asked softly. "You aren't human anymore."

Saphira blinked at him dumbly. "What?"

Suddenly the room was spinning and her vision blurred. Inuyasha caught her when she fainted.

"What's wrong? What's happened?" Sesshoumaru demanded bursting into the room.

"It's Saphira," Inuyasha said motioning to her.

"Why did she faint?"

"What did you DO to her?" Kagome screamed pounding her fists onto Sesshoumaru's chest.

Inuyasha pulled her away, but couldn't silence her screaming.

"You just HAD to have a full blooded youkai mate, didn't you, Sesshoumaru?" Kagome screamed making him and Inuyasha cringe in pain.

"What are you talking about?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"You CHANGED her! She's isn't hanyou anymore!" Kagome screamed. "She was just fine the way she was! Were you too good for her? Is that it? Well, let me tell you that SHE's too good for YOU!"

"What?" Sesshoumaru exclaimed.

"Kagome! Sesshoumaru couldn't change her!" Inuyasha reasoned.

"I don't care! I'm leaving and I'm taking Saphira with me!" Kagome exclaimed.

"You are not taking my mate anywhere!" Sesshoumaru said icily.

"He's right, Kagome," Inuyasha sighed. "You have no authority over her."

"Like hell I don't!" Kagome stated stubbornly. "She's my daughter, and if her husband is incapable of taking her then I will!"

"Will you at least see what Saphira wants first?" Inuyasha asked. "Maybe she knows something we don't."

Kagome looked from Sesshoumaru to Inuyasha and then to Saphira.

"Fine." She stormed out of the room with Inuyasha at her heels.

"Mom?" Kagome's screaming had roused her daughter.

"You fool," Sesshoumaru said looking at Inuyasha. "She hasn't changed at all, except for the fact that she's conceived a child."

"No way!" Inuyasha exclaimed.

* * *

Kagome stormed into the garden, her tears were blinding her and she bumped into someone.

"Oh! Hello, Kagome," Doragon said catching Kagome before she fell over.

"Sorry, I bumped into you, Doragon," Kagome said rubbing her eyes.

"What is it, Kagome?" Doragon asked seeing her tear streaked face.

"Saphira's a full blooded dragon!" Kagome blurted out. "And it's all Sesshoumaru's fault!"

"Wha-" Doragon started and then laughed so hard he clutched his sides.

"Kagome! Saphira's with child!" Inuyasha yelled running into the garden. "What's up with him?"

Doragon doubled over with laughter again after Inuyasha's statement.

"Her...scent...changed...didn't...it?" Doragon asked in between the choking laughter.

"Yeah, so?" Inuyasha answered.

"You dog demons are a bunch of morons!" Doragon laughed.

"Hey! I resent that!" Inuyasha said his temper flaring.

"You think that just because her scent changed she was pregnant?" Doragon asked the laughter dying down.

"Well, we first thought she had transformed into a full blooded dragon," Inuyasha said scratching his chin thoughtfully.

"Stupid!" Doragon laughed again.

"What are you getting at, Doragon?" Kagome prodded.

"It's a false pregnancy," Doragon explained. "She isn't old enough to conceive yet."

"What do you mean 'false'?" Inuyasha asked.

"It's something that her body did because she mated before she was fully mature," Doragon explained. "It lets her know that she isn't ready to conceive yet."

"Oh," Inuyasha and Kagome said simultaneously.

"But what about her aura? It changed color," Kagome asked.

"It's just Sesshoumaru's youkai crowding out her colors," Doragon shrugged.

"Well," Inuyasha said, "you're going to break the news to Sesshoumaru."

"What?" Doragon exclaimed but Inuyasha ran off dragging Kagome behind him.

* * *

"So, when will she be able to conceive?" Sesshoumaru asked after Doragon explained Saphira's new scent.

"A little eager aren't we?" Doragon grinned.

"When?"

Doragon sighed at his failed joke. "When her body is ready."

"..." Sesshoumaru growled.

"Two, or three years!" Doragon exclaimed. "Jeez, lighten up, huh?"

"My brother will have a pup before I do," Sesshoumaru complained.

"It's okay, I would have beat you anyways," Inuyasha said grinning.

"You've mated already?" Sesshoumaru asked turning to his younger brother.

"Yup."

"..."

* * *

"So I'm not pregnant," Saphira said looking at her mother. "And, you are?"

Kagome blushed, which Saphira would have sworn was impossible.

"Mom, why didn't you tell me?" Saphira whined punching her mother's arm.

"Well, you were about to die and all," Kagome said furrowing her brow in concentration.

"Mom!" Saphira exclaimed in mock disgust.

"Well, you asked!" Kagome said crossing her arms.

"So, Dad said I wouldn't conceive for a couple of years, huh?"

"Yeah."

"How did Sesshoumaru take that?" Saphira asked looking her mother in the eyes.

"He'll deal with it!" Kagome huffed.

Saphira grinned. "Boy or girl?"

"Definitely boy," Kagome smiled. "Who wants another whiny girl?"

"Mom!"

"Just kidding," Kagome laughed and leaned closer. "Inuyasha really wants a boy."

"Oh?" Saphira grinned evilly. "Are you going to name him Oswald?"

Kagome gasped. "Hell no!"

"But," Saphira said innocently sniffling. "What about Grandpa's memory?"

"Grandpa was a great man," Kagome admitted. "But, he had a crappy name. I was thinking about the name Inutenshi."

"What! That's worse then Oswald, Mom!" Saphira cried. "You should name him Inumaru."

"Well, I might as well just name him Harold for all the help you are!" Kagome exclaimed.

"Ooh, then we can call him Roldy!" Saphira said delighted.

Kagome huffed in frustration.

"Call who Roldy?" Asked Inuyasha coming into the room.

"Ah, Inuyasha, talk some sense into Saphira!" Kagome said getting up.

"Come on, Mom! Roldy is a cute name!" Saphira said.

"Just wait until you have kids!" Kagome huffed out of the room.


	16. War

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own its characters. I do own the ideas of this story and the characters I have created for this story (i.e. Saphira). Please respect patent laws. Comments and reviews are appreciated.**

**Chapter 16: War**

"So?"

"So what?" Sesshoumaru asked slightly irritated.

Saphira raised her eyebrows at him. "Are you cranky?"

"No." More irritation.

"I think you are."

"I'm not!"

"So?"

"So what!" Sesshoumaru blew up.

Saphira laughed at him. "What were you doing with Inuyasha before I came along?"

Sesshoumaru blinked at the sudden subject change. "Building an empire. And you?"

"Getting into trouble," Saphira smiled. "Are we going to continue to build an empire?"

"What makes you think that is still my desire?" Sesshoumaru huffed.

"Why would you give up on something that your heart was set on?" Saphira asked. "You already have control of the East, West and South. All that's left is the North."

"Which will be the hardest to conquer," he growled. "Humans are all over the place!"

"In my time I learned about a man named Alexander the Great," Saphira said getting Sesshoumaru's attention. "He conquered almost the entire modern civilization for his time. He won battles with only a quarter of what his enemy had."

"What was this youkai's name?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"He was a man," Saphira said almost proudly.

"Impossible!" Sesshoumaru declared.

"Ask Mom if you don't believe me," Saphira said shrugging and leaving the room.

Sesshoumaru growled as Saphira's tail flickered out of sight. "A human would be incapable of subduing an entire nation."

* * *

Saphira sighed as she made her way out of the castle. 

"Is something wrong, my Lady?" Rin asked coming around the corner with a young girl in tow.

Saphira looked up at her husband's adopted daughter. "Nothing, is that your daughter?"

The young girl blushed at Saphira's attention. "Yes, I am her daughter, my name is Hana."

"That's a pretty name," Saphira said lighting the girl's face up.

"Go on to the kitchen, Hana," Rin said dismissing her daughter. "Now will you tell me what is troubling you?"

Saphira smiled. "I want to conquer the Northern lands."

Rin smiled at Saphira. "Let me introduce you to the general of my Lord's troops."

With Saphira in two Rin lead the way to the battlements of the castle. There, a tall dark figure was watching the lands that stretched out before the castle.

"My Lady Saphira," Rin said bowing to the older youkai, she winked at Saphira and left.

"My lady," the general nodded.

"I want to conquer the Northern lands," Saphira said without preamble.

The general looked at her dumbstruck.

"You will give me twenty thousand soldiers," Saphira continued. "Archers, swordsmen, horses, the works."

"But, my Lady!" The general protested.

Saphira pierced his gaze blue cold blue eyes. "I don't care what it takes. Do it and do it now. And make sure that Lord Sesshoumaru doesn't know of my requests until after I have left."

Saphira walked away feeling very confident. She had studied history in detail. She knew how to win battles. She would conquer the Northern lands for her mate.

It took several weeks for the general to fulfill Saphira's demands. It was even harder to do it behind Sesshoumaru's back. But, Saphira had castles full of armor and equipment in her castles to the east. Finding the manpower was proving difficult.

But, he did accomplish the task and Saphira was marching her troops out within six weeks. Her mother and step father had bid her farewell the night before she left. Sesshoumaru noticed her absence from their bed, but she often rose earlier then him.

"Where is she?" Sesshoumaru demanded in a quiet, controlled voice.

"She left for the Northern Lands this morning before sun rise," the general answered.

"Why didn't you inform me of her plans?"

"She ordered me not to," the general said simply.

Sesshoumaru growled at the general's response. He should have known that something was up. They had made love all night and it had completely exhausted him. Now he knew why she had been so insistent and demanding.

"She needs this," came a voice from the doorway.

Sesshoumaru didn't even look at his human mother in law.

"She was always restless when we lived in the future, always on th move," Kagome said walking into the room. "You can't keep her couped up here forever."

"I wasn't couping her up!" Sesshoumaru barked. "She was free to come and go as she pleased!"

"It's not the same and you know that as well as I do," Kagome said. "Let her have a taste of war, and by the time she comes back she will be ready to settle down."

Sesshoumaru only growled. He would eventually have to go out and find her. He couldn't be away from her for too long.

* * *

Saphira took a deep breath, breathing in the crisp air of spring. She looked down at the messenger from the castle her troops were camped outside of. 

"Tell your lord that he has until morning to send word of his surrender," Saphira said. "If he surrenders I will allow him to maintain the castle and village for me. He only has to pledge loyalty and troops to me."

"What if he doesn't, my Lady?" The young boy gulped.

"If he doesn't, I will scatter his bones across these lands," Saphira smiled. "Get your family away from here while you can, boy. Now, go."

This same scene occurred at any settlement Saphira came across. She always gave the people time to surrender and pledge loyalty and whatever else she needed to her. If the leaders didn't surrender willfully, they were usually killed and the people were given opportunity to pledge themselves to Saphira's service.

Months went by filled with battles and surrenders until they reached the ocean. Standing on the shore Saphira could see an island city surrounded by a wall. She was denied entrance to the island city and all her ships were set on fire before they could reach the island.

"Begin building a bridge," Saphira said with her eyes full of determination. Her command was followed immediately. Her army, which had grown from twenty thousand to a hundred thousand, followed her commands without question, and had come to respect her greatly.

"I see you have set your sights on Tyree," came a baritone voice from behind her.

"I was denied entrance to their homely city," growled Saphira. "I will not tolerant it."

Sesshoumaru smiled at his mate, who become a great general. "Why are you doing all this anyway?"

"Our empire is not complete without that island city," Saphira said simply.

"You know as well as I do that this empire won't last long," Sesshoumaru said. "Your mother already told me the history of this era."

"Things tend to unfold as they should," Saphira said. "I'm just going with the flow."

"You know that there will be invaders from the mainland," Sesshoumaru sighed.

"Well, enjoy your empire while you have it," she said simply. "When is Mom due to have that pup?"

"A month maybe two," he said.

"I will be on that island before he is born," she said with fierce determination.

And so she was.

* * *

Kagome screamed making Inuyasha flatten his ears against his skull. Sesshoumaru sighed with displeasure and hoped that his mate wouldn't screech when she was giving birth to his pups. 

"Maybe you should leave," Saphira said looking at both of them.

"Okay," Sesshoumaru said easily persuaded.

"I'm staying," Inuyasha said stubbornly.

Saphira and Sesshoumaru looked at him with surprise.

"You...don't...have...to," Kagome panted. Her face was red and splotchy and drenched in sweat.

"Mom, concentrate on popping that baby out," Saphira said. "Don't worry about him. If he wants to stay and let his ears bleed then let him."

Kagome only nodded as another contraction overtook her.

"Maybe we should take you back," Saphira said uneasily. "At least you could get an epidural."

"No," Kagome gasped. "I have no way to know if I will be able to get back."

"Well, at least let Sesshoumaru fetch Kaede," Saphira said reasonably.

Kagome nodded and Sesshoumaru thanked whoever was looking out for him up there and left.

"Hey Mom, does that breathing thing really work?" Saphira asked noticing her mother was doing the technique.

"Hell no, just a bunch of rubbish," Kagome said then tensed up for another contraction.

"Their coming closer together," Saphira said taking a peek at Kagome's crotch. "You're almost at ten centimeters, Mom."

"What's that mean?" Inuyasha asked clueless.

"It means that it's almost time for the baby to come out," Saphira said. "Mom, during the next contraction push, okay?"

Kagome only nodded. Saphira settled herself down to play catcher.

"Okay, Mom," Saphira said as she felt her tense up.

Kagome squeezed the daylights out of Inuyasha hand as she bared down as hard as she could.

"The head has crowned, Mom, just a few more," Saphira called.

Kagome pushed again at the next contraction.

"One more!" Saphira called taking hold of the infant's shoulders.

Kagome hollered as she pushed the rest of the infant out.

"A boy!" Saphira smiled. "Hurry, cut the cord, Inuyasha!"

With a quick swipe the cord was cut and the infant bundled up.

"Alright, Mom, the afterbirth and you're finished," Saphira said placing the infant on Kagome's stomach.

With one last push the afterbirth was out. Saphira wrapped it up in cloth for one of servants to bury.

"So, what's my baby brother's name? Kumar? Harold?" Saphira grinned looking at her exhausted mother.

"He's name is Inumaru," Kagome smiled weakly at Saphira's look of surprise.

"Oh, Mom," Saphira said softly looking at the infant in her arms.


	17. The Invasion

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own its characters. I do own the ideas of this story and the characters I have created for this story (i.e. Saphira). Please respect patent laws. Comments and reviews are appreciated**

**Chapter 17: The Invasion**

It was only three years later before the greatly anticipated invasion came.

"Your Majesty!" A soldier called capturing Saphira's attention. "Boats from the mainland have landed on the western shore."

Saphira, who had been riding with her toddler brother, stopped. "What?"

"The invaders have come," he repeated.

"Here," she said handing him the toddler. "Take him back to the castle and inform my mate of the invasion."

"Yes, your Majesty," the soldier saluted and ran towards the castle walls.

Saphira encouraged her horse in the direction of the western shores. What she came across astonished her even with her future knowledge. Sitting on a ridge overlooking a bay her jaw dropped.

She knew that not even the great Trojan War would compare to the war she would soon have to fight.

She looked down to see a bay full of battle ships and many of them already being pulled onto the shore.

Suddenly, a flock of arrows were shot into the clear blue sky. The were aimed directly at her.

But her horse neatly sidestepped and reared out of range. Saphira roared in warning allowing her jaw to temporarily take the shape of her dragon form. The sight of her fangs alone would have been enough to send any human scurrying.

As her voice ripped through the air, the horse that had been brought from the mainland cried out in fear. But then she heard the cannon fire. She hopped off her horse before the cannon blow blew the poor creature away. Midair she transformed into her dragon form and roared in anger.

She quickly flew over the ships and set many of them on fire. It seemed that the whole ocean, as far as her eyes could see, was full of mainland ships. Arrows and cannon balls soon filled the air trying to blow her out of the sky.

The sudden howl from the island sent shivers down her spine and she flew quickly to its source.

She landed neatly, in human form, beside her mate.

"You shouldn't be out there in your condition," he said carefully.

"They killed my favorite warhorse," Saphira complained.

"Achilles?" Sesshoumaru asked not sure which horse was his mate's favorite.

"Yes, he was so sweet too," Saphira said sadly. "Poor Achilles."

"Is this the only shore they're on?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"I haven't checked any others," Saphira admitted.

"Go and scout out the shorelines, they're probably coming at us from all sides," Sesshoumaru said.

Saphira nodded, transformed and took off.

* * *

"I have a bad feeling about all of this," Kagome said uneasily taking her son from the soldier.

"It's going to be long war," the soldier admitted. "There were ships as far as the eye could see."

"Has it started already?" Inuyasha asked walking up to them.

"The invaders have arrived," the soldier admitted. "I wish her highness had been wrong."

"Me too," Kagome said.

"Mama!" Inumaru called. "Mama, where's Sissy?"

"Scouting the coast more than likely," the soldier said.

"She'll be back soon," Kagome said. "Here, take him, Inuyasha."

The toddler squealed in delight as he climbed into Inuyasha's arms. The hanyou looked nothing like Kagome. His hair was a darker silver than Inuyasha's, but he had the same golden eyes.

Sesshoumaru returned to castle before Saphira.

"So, is it true?" Inuyasha asked as his brother approached them.

"Yes," he answered.

"How is she taking it?" Kagome asked.

"She's the one who insisted it was going to happen," Sesshoumaru sighed. "She was out there burning ships when I got there."

Inuyasha laughed.

But, Kagome frowned. "She shouldn't be doing that in her condition!"

"That's what I told her," Sesshoumaru said.

"Told me what?" Saphira said breathlessly landing next to them.

"Sissy!" The toddler squealed.

"Hey! How's my baby boy?" Saphira asked smiling and taking the toddler from Inuyasha's arms.

"Aw, do you love your Sissy?" Kagome said smiling at her two children.

"Yes!" The toddler shouted. "My Saphy!"

"Hey boy, that's my woman," Sesshoumaru said gruffly but playfully.

"Nuh-uh! She's my woman!" Inumaru said sticking his tongue out at Sesshoumaru.

"You better watch it, or something bad might happen to you," Sesshoumaru said letting his eyes turn crimson.

"Save me Saphy! Save me!" Inumaru squealed.

But Sesshoumaru scooped Inumaru out of Saphira's arms and preceded to toss the toddler into the air.

"Save me!" The toddler shrieked with delight as Sesshoumaru tossed him up and down.

"He's not going to able to take a nap now that you've got him all wound up," Kagome complained.

"That's alright, he wasn't going to bed anyway," Inuyasha smiled

"And just why is that?" Kagome demanded.

"Oh, Daddy's in trouble!" Inumaru laughed.

* * *

"How much damage did we sustain?" A short man demanded.

"The dragon managed to sink several ships, my Lord," the foot soldier replied.

The short man cursed softly under his breath. He ran his hand through his thick black hair. "I thought all the dragon clans had been killed off years ago. Did it have any markings?"

"Yes sir, it had two crescent moons that overlapped each other but were facing opposite directions," the soldier replied.

"What color were they?" The short man demanded.

"The one that opened to the dragon's left was purple, and the one that opened to the right was yellow," the soldier stuttered.

"That dragon has an alliance with the Western Dog Clan," the man muttered. "Have the ships on the eastern side of the island found refuge?"

"Yes, they found many abandon castles to house the soldiers and equipment," the soldier replied.

"Then that dragon is residing in the western lands with its allies," the man said. "Put the men back into the ships, we're going to meet our brothers on the eastern side of this god forsaken island."

"Yes, my Lord!" The soldier scurried away to announce the order.

The short man walked into a dark tent.

"You see, my visions have not forsaken you," a quiet but deadly voice said.

"Your visions had no dragons in them," the black haired man snapped.

"Shuhan, do you deny the accuracy of my visions?" The voice asked quietly.

"You know that I do not," Shuhan admitted.

"We have an ally on this island, we simply have to find him," the voice said slinking to the back of the tent.

"How are we going to do that?" Shuhan asked skeptically.

"He will call to me when we are near," the voice said lightly.

"Very well, we are moving to eastern side of the island," Shuhan said.

"Good, I do not sense his presence here."

* * *

Saphira was lying quietly on the bed. She was facing the open window. Sesshoumaru was snuggled up against her with his arm around her waist. She knew that he was awake because he kept rubbing his toes against her feet.

She sighed quietly watching the last few morning stars twinkle in the predawn light.

"Are you worried?" Sesshoumaru asked quietly.

"I feel like something bad is going to happen," Saphira admitted.

"Is it the pup?" Sesshoumaru asked worriedly. It had taken him over three years to impregnate his mate. He didn't want anything to happen to their first pup.

"No," she said smiling secretly. She hadn't even told her mother about her little secret, she was still marveling at how she could be so lucky.

"What is it then?" Sesshoumaru sensing that his wife was suddenly being secretive. "And what are you not telling me?"

"I don't know," Saphira said choosing to ignore that last bit of Sesshoumaru's statement. She would tell him when she was good and ready, but she was still savoring it herself. "Have you hear anything about my father?"

"No, I think you scared him off with all that talk about war," Sesshoumaru chuckled allowing Saphira to keep her secret for a little while longer. "The invaders have taken up camp in the eastern castles you know."

"I know," Saphira sighed.

"I told you that we should have burned them down," he said gently but firmly.

"I know," Saphira admitted. "But, they were my family's and I couldn't do it."

Sesshoumaru sighed into her neck, biting her ear softly.

"I don't want you on the front lines," he said softly.

"I don't want you on the front lines," Saphira countered.

Sesshoumaru growled in her ear making her shiver with delight.

"Seriously though, I want you to be careful," Saphira said.

"What do you think is going to happen?" He asked teasingly.

"I don't know, but none of our names are mentioned in the history books," Saphira said.

"But which side wins?"

"Ours."

"Then that's all that matters."

"It won't matter if you're dead!" Saphira said rolling over to bury her head into his chest.

"I'm not going to die," he said patting her back.

"How do you know? Are you a psychic?" Saphira asked tearfully.

"If I said yes will you stop crying?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"No."


	18. Unavoidable Compromises

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own its characters. I do own the ideas of this story and the characters I have created for this story (i.e. Saphira). Please respect patent laws. Comments and reviews are appreciated.**

**Chapter 18: Unavoidable Compromises**

"Do you feel anything now?" Shuhan asked dispassionately.

The person next to him was covered from head to toe. Only red eyes peered out of the only opening in the clothing.

"I think that we have come to the right place," the shorter person answered smugly.

"Good."

* * *

"I want you to go back," Inuyasha said quietly. "Take Inumaru with you."

Kagome looked stubbornly at her mate. "I don't even know if the well will work."

Inuyasha smiled at her sadly. "As long as someone in your family is alive on the other side it will work."

Kagome frowned. "I still haven't figured out how Saphira traveled through the well."

"It was Doragon," Inuyasha answered with a smile. "She left after he had died in the future, but he was still alive here."

"Well, that explains a lot," Kagome huffed. "Inuyasha, I'm worried about her."

"I know," he said taking Kagome into his arms and breathing in her womanly scent.

"She needs to leave in her condition," Kagome murmured into Inuyasha's hair.

"That will be up to Sesshoumaru and Saphira," Inuyasha said pulling Kagome away from him.

Tears began to well up in Kagome's eyes. "But..she's my baby."

"Inumaru is your baby too," Inuyasha said sternly. "But he is still young and needs protection. Saphira is grown and mated, Sesshoumaru will do what he sees fit. He will not allow Saphira to endanger herself or the pup."

"Okay," Kagome breathed tearfully.

Inuyasha wrinkled his nose at the smell of his mate's tears. "I will try to talk to Sesshoumaru."

Kagome looked up at him smiling brilliantly. "Thank you!"

Inuyasha only grunted and left to find his brother.

"Mom?" Saphira rounded the corner to see her mother drying her eyes, then frowned.

"Oh, Saphira," Kagome said hugging her daughter. "I'm so worried about this war."

"Why? You know we will win," Saphira said displeased at her mother's tears.

"But at what cost?" Kagome asked. "Inuyasha wants me to return to our era with Inumaru."

"Oh?" Saphira said raising her eyebrows.

"Honey, I want you to come with me," Kagome pleaded suddenly.

"Mom..."

"Inuyasha can come and fetch us when the war is over!" Kagome pleaded. "You'll be safe and so will my grandchild. Please, Saphira."

"Mom this is my kingdom they are trying to destroy," Saphira said stubbornly. "What kind of leader am I if I tuck tail and run?"

"A smart one!" Kagome snapped. "You've never seen war, Saphira, you have no idea what its like!"

"I conquered this entire island into one nation!" Saphira shrieked.

"You call forcing humans into submission war?" Kagome asked in disbelief. "This is an entire youkai army and God knows what else!"

"I have battled youkai before!" Saphira continued.

"Not while you were pregnant!"

"And how would you know that?" Saphira demanded quietly.

Kagome's mouth dropped open. "Wha-what are you saying?"

"I have been pregnant and in battle before," Saphira said her bottom lip barely trembling.

"When?" Kagome whispered.

"A year ago," Saphira answered quietly her eyes glittering like glassy gems.

"Oh...Saphira," Kagome sighed her face softening, pulling her daughter into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry."

Saphira didn't cry but started to have dry heaves.

"I'm so sorry," Kagome murmured over and over again, rubbing her daughter's back.

* * *

Inuyasha's nose picked up a fresh wave of tears as he made his way to Sesshoumaru's study. He sighed, inwardly glad that his mate's daughter wasn't so emotional. Saphira did have Kagome moments, but she was more Doragon then anything.

He knocked before he slid the door open.

Sesshoumaru looked up.

"Kagome sent me," Inuyasha began. "She-"

"Wants me to send my mate into the future?" Sesshoumaru guessed with a wary expression on his face.

Inuyasha grinned at his brother's incredible ability to know what was going on in his household.

"So?"

Sesshoumaru sighed and looked out his window. "What do you want me to do, Inuyasha? Do you want me to send my mate where I cannot go? What if something happens in her time? What if she gets hurt?"

"I am sending Kagome and Inumaru," Inuyasha said. "I know what you're thinking, but their world is much safer than ours."

"How do you know? Have you been there?" Sesshoumaru demanded.

"Yes."

Sesshoumaru stared at his younger brother in disbelief. "Why-why didn't you even tell me?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "You never asked."

Sesshoumaru only growled in reply.

"At least say you'll think about," Inuyasha said.

"Fine."

"Good," Inuyasha grinned and left.

Sesshoumaru rubbed his throbbing temples.

He heard the door slid open quietly and was overwhelmed with the scent of tears. He looked up sharply expecting to see Kagome, but Saphira stood there dry eyed.

"Sorry, Mom had a breakdown," Saphira explained with a smile tugging her lips.

"Yes, well, that much his obvious," he said eying her. He could smell her fear, which was very unusual since she was never afraid of anything. "What is it?"

"I fear for the pup," Saphira admitted dropping into a chair.

"What is there to be afraid of?" He asked in disbelief.

"I just have the feeling that something terrible is going to happen," she answered looking him in the eyes.

Sesshoumaru looked at her skeptically, but he knew that usually gut feelings were right.

"What could happen? I'm here and so is Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru said brushing her fears aside.

"I don't know," Saphira said dropping her gaze to the floor. "But, something is going to happen. I can feel it."

* * *

"He is near," whispered a sleek voice.

Shuhan looked down at the robbed individual next to him.

"He is one of those castles," the figured walked quickly in the direction of the nearest castle on the Eastern side of the island.

Shuhan sighed a motioned for his troops to follow the robbed individual. All his men feared his mysterious companion. He followed closely behind his companion until they reached the castle.

"Search the castle!" Shuhan commanded

The hooded figure decided at that moment to shoot into the frenzy of activity. Shuhan cursed softly and quickly followed into the castle.

Once he entered the castle, he had to rely on his hearing to follow his companion. He reached an inner antechamber finding his companion gazing upon an individual that had been pinned to the wall by an arrow.

"It is a purified arrow," the hooded figure spit.

"So?" Shuhan said leaning against the wall.

"I can't remove it!" The figure hissed.

"Isn't he dead?"

"Sealed," the pinned figure answered opening blood red eyes.

Shuhan stepped back startled. "Wh-what?"

"I was sealed here by a priestess named Kagome," the dragon spit. "I was trying to kill her daughter, but that stupid inuyoukai mate of hers stopped me, and allowed her to seal me here."

"What is this inuyoukai's name?" The hooded figure demanded.

"Inuyasha, and his brother is now mated to the woman I wanted!"

"What is his brother's name and what does this woman look like?" The hooded figure asked carefully.

"His brother's name is Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands. His mate is Saphira, and she is a dragon like me," he gave them a toothy grin.

"She's the bitch who attacked us on the coastline!" Shuhan cursed.

"Quite a catch huh?" The dragon asked lifting his eyebrows.

"What is your name?" Shuhan demanded.

"Saibairyuukotsusei."

"We can't free you," the hooded figure said quietly. "But, if you help us, we can find the girl and have her do it."

"Sounds like a plan," Saibairyuukotsusei licked his chapped lips. "I have been thinking about revenge for many years, and I have an excellent plan worked out."

"We want to take over the island, dragon," Shuhan said dryly.

"I don't care about that! I only want what is rightfully mine," Saibairyuukotsusei hissed.

"Fine, go on."

"Sesshoumaru is the key to taking over the island, if you can get him on your side, you will win," Saibairyuukotsusei said. "But he won't come along easily. I have heard that those on the continent have ways to brain wash, I am correct?"

The hooded figure laughed evilly. "Oh yes, we can bend him to our will!"

* * *

"The enemy has taken up residence on the Eastern side of the island. They are making use of her majesty's abandon castles and store houses," the soldier reported.

"Dammit, I knew we were compromising those castles when we allowed them to flee!" Saphira growled slamming a fist on the table. Many of the generals looked nervously at one another.

"Saphira," Sesshoumaru said quietly. "We'll have to burn the castles down."

"I'll do it," Saphira growled again. "I won't lose any of our people because I wouldn't burn them down years ago."

"I will accompany you," Sesshoumaru said.

Saphira nodded and left the room, she immediately bumped into her mother.

"Saphy!" Inumaru squealed reaching out to his sister.

"Hey boy!" Saphira said smiling and taking Inumaru into her arms and over her belly that was slightly rounded.

"I heard the foreigners have taken over the Eastern castles," Kagome said uneasily.

"Sesshoumaru and I are going to burn them down," Saphira said.

"I have a bad feeling about all of this," Kagome said. "Let me have him, you need to rest before you go."

"No, Mama! I want to stay!" Inumaru whined.

"Do you want to take a nap?" Kagome asked.

"No!"

"Well, Saphira is going to take a nap, and if you want to stay with her, you have to take a nap too," Kagome said.

Inumaru pouted before allowing himself to be handed back to Kagome. "I want to see Daddy."

"Okay, baby," Kagome said kissing her daughter's cheek. "Take care, Saphira."

"Alright."

* * *

"How do we know we can trust this dragon?" Shuhan asked.

"We aren't freeing him if that's what you're afraid of," red eyes met Shuhan's.

"How do you plan on trapping the mind of this Lord?" Was the next question.

"With this," the hooded figure pulled a pouch out of the robes. "It is made with the dust of the bones of mind controlling youkai from our homeland."


	19. Unforgivable

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own its characters. I do own the ideas of this story and the characters I have created for this story (i.e. Saphira). Please respect patent laws. Comments and reviews are appreciated.**

**Chapter 19: Unforgivable **

Saphira looked at her mate, who was currently a green orb, with apprehension. The bad feeling in her gut had intensified over night and was making her physically sick. Of course, her pregnancy could be the source of her nausea, but she highly doubted it.

She looked down at the treetops to see flashes of red and white. Inuyasha had insisted on coming with them. Although Sesshoumaru had been slightly annoyed, Saphira was grateful.

She looked forward towards the castle they were nearing. She could smell the unwashed bodies, and the blood. The smell made her nausea worse, but she continued flying.

As they neared the main compound, Saphira let out a roar of warning. She could see the soldiers tensing up, but they did nothing to stop their progress. A smaller red orb appeared beside them, Inuyasha had finally decided to test out his abilities.

To her surprise, Sesshoumaru began to descend into the the center of the enemy stronghold, she was nervous about his actions but followed his lead.

She transformed as she touched down.

"Welcome, your Majesties," a short toad of a man croaked.

"You are invading our lands and welcoming us?" Sesshoumaru asked dispassionately.

Shuhan smiled wickedly. "I wouldn't want you to think me a bad host. We have come to offer you a compromise, Lord Sesshoumaru."

The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife. Saphira put her hand on the hilt of her katana.

"It is us that should be giving you the compromise," Sesshoumaru said lazily.

Shuhan only grinned increasing Saphira's anxiety.

"Oh, but please hear us out," came a voice from the shadows of the building. Saphira growled, and if she had been in her dragon form would have raised her hackles.

Faster than Saphira could blink they were covered in a cloud of dust, but Sesshoumaru had received the force of the blow. Sesshoumaru fell over, but before Saphira could reach him, he was pulling himself up.

Saphira, terrified, noticed that his eyes had become blood red.

"Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha asked approaching his brother.

Sesshoumaru only growled, baring his canine teeth.

"What have you done to him?" Saphira demanded pulling her katana out of its sheath with sing of metal.

"We've only bent him to our will," Shuhan smiled innocently.

"Now, go and kill!" Screeched the voice from the shadows.

Sesshoumaru quickly changed into his orb and flew off in the direction of the western lands.

"Inuyasha, kill them," Saphira commanded. Inuyasha nodded and pulled a sword from the sheath at his side.

Saphira transformed and went after Sesshoumaru praying she wouldn't be too late. She quickly reached their castle and only had to follow the trail of blood and bodies to locate her mate.

She found Sesshoumaru in the nursery with Kagome holding the body of her dead son.

"No!" Saphira cried running to her mother's side.

"Oh, God, why?" Kagome cried clinging to the body of her child.

But Sesshoumaru was looming over them raising Toukijin into the air.

"No! Stop this Sesshoumaru! Snap out of it!" Saphira screamed tackling him, but not before he managed to kill Kagome with his poison whip.

"Oh, God!" Saphira screamed, but was blinded by a bright light. Everything stood still, except for her.

_"There is little time, Mother," _came a voice from inside her head. Saphira blinked back her tears, trying to find the source of the childlike voice.

She then turned to her mother and brother's bodies and saw the creatures from hell wrapping their bodies with chains.

_"Do you see them?" _The voice asked.

"Yes," Saphira choked.

_"Take Father's sword." _

Saphira looked down at her mate's motionless body with the look at hatred on his face. She reached out to take Tessaiga, but hesitated.

_"Take the sword, Mother," _the voice urged. _"There isn't much time!"_

Saphira grabbed the sword and turned back to the dead bodies.

_"We can only lend you enough strength to bring back one of them," _the voice said.

"But, I can't possibly choose," Saphira sobbed.

_"You have to be strong, Mother! Choose one quickly!" _The voice urged.

Saphira continued to cry as she lifted the sword over her brother's body. The sword began to pulse as time picked up again. She swung it through the creatures that were trying to take Inumaru to hell.

She heard Sesshoumaru's growl from behind her, but quickly picked Inumaru up and leaped out of the nursery window.

She managed to out fly the green orb chasing her to the well. The well that she thought she would never enter again. She leaped into the well, pregnant and carrying her baby brother.

The last thing she heard was Sesshoumaru's growl of frustration and then a blue light engulfing her.

* * *

Souta looked at the sleeping form of his niece sadly. He pulled her bloody, battered body from the well only a few days before. She had only murmured the name of the child that was with her before falling into an exhausted sleep.

The toddler had been in remarkably good shape besides the blood stains on his clothes. Inumaru was the child's name, but Souta didn't think that the child was Saphira's. He was almost positive that the half demon was his sister's child.

But where was his sister?

"Come on, Souta, let her rest," called his mother. He sighed softly and left his niece.

"What do you think happened to her Mother?" Souta asked as they made their way down the stairs.

"I don't know, dear, but I'm sure she'll tell us when she wakes up," his mother said patting his arm.

"Should I seal the well?" Souta asked, after Kagome had left he had moved back in and taken over the shrine.

His mother frowned at his question. "Well, I don't see why not. After all you can always unseal it, right?"

"Yes," Souta said and hurried out to seal the well up. Whatever had beaten up his precious niece he didn't want to come through and kill them all.

"Poor girl," his mother murmured as she entered the kitchen.

"Are you talking about Saphira?" Asked Souta's wife, Karen, who was making dinner.

"Yes," answered the older woman. "Something terrible must have happened. I hope Kagome's okay."

"I hear her crying in her sleep," Karen said sadly. "The baby seems to be doing well."

"Yes, Inumaru reminds me so much of Inuyasha," she said.

* * *

Saphira woke up with the last rays of the daylight shining in her face. She smiled, momentarily forgetting where she was and why, but soon the unfamiliar scents of her old home flooded into her nose.

She bolted out of the bed only bothering to throw on a robe. She stopped at the window, seeing her brother playing with two older children in the yard. Suddenly, the memories of her last day in the feudal era flooded her mind.

Her mother was gone, murdered by her mate. Her brother too, but a quick glance out the window eased her nerves.

There was a tap on her door and then it opened quietly, revealing her grandmother carrying a tray of food.

Her grandmother set the tray down on the bed table, then walked to her and hugged her. She then wiped her tear stained cheeks.

"I know that something bad has happened," said her grandmother in an even voice. "But you don't have to talk about it until you're ready."

Saphira swallowed her tears. "I'm pregnant."

"I know," her grandmother winked. "I have a good eye for pregnant women."

"I'm...I'm not going back," Saphira said, her voice shaking.

"You don't have too," her grandmother said. "We'll be downstairs if you need us."

With that Saphira was left alone. Alone with her thoughts. Alone with her sadness. Alone with her grief.

* * *

Okay everyone, that's it for Back to The Past. There might be a sequel, but I haven't decided yet. So, R&R. Thanks for all the reviews! Je ne. Fireflycross 


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